


Gold's Eleven

by RainMirror



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Casino Heist, Gen, Humor, Ocean's Eleven meets OUAT, Romance, eventual Rumbelle, twists and turns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-24
Updated: 2013-05-29
Packaged: 2017-12-09 10:18:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 69,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/773078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainMirror/pseuds/RainMirror
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern Day AU (No Curse)  Recently Released from prison, Danny Gold has a plan to strike it rich, get his revenge and win back his True Love.  But in order to do that he'll need a crew as crazy as he is!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gold and Neal

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is inspired by the movie Ocean's Eleven. Since there is no curse, the events of Tallahassee did not occur quite like the show. Neal did not abandon Emma to the police (although she is arrested) and while I do mention in a future chapter that August stole money from Neal, it was not to go to Emma. It's just to establish that he's a thief. 
> 
> Also, Belle does not appear until chapter 12 so it is an eventual Rumbelle.

A few rays of sunlight managed to break free and shine down upon the earth, despite the persistent rain clouds that blanketed the sky.  Daniel Gold looked up and smiled.  It was only a brief flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness but he had had enough darkness the last two years to last him a lifetime. 

Nodding to the guard, Gold limped through the iron gates of Massachusetts’s largest medium security penitentiary and took his first breath as a free man.

The air held the distinct flavor of fresh summer rain and freedom.

He walked slowly towards the parking lot, enjoying the sensation of a light drizzle and warm breeze on his face.  He could see a lone figure leaning casually against the hood of a late model black Cadillac, munching on an Apollo candy bar.  He looked up as Gold approached and tried to stifle a laugh.

“Is something amusing you, dearie?”

The younger man smirked.  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so rumpled, that’s all.  What?  You couldn’t bribe the guards to iron your suit for you?”

Gold frowned as he straightened his tie.  “I’m afraid that this suit is beyond salvation.  They had it stuffed inside an old cardboard box with the shoes lying _on top of it_ for two years now.  However, I’d take a rumpled suit over your outfit any day.”  He eyed the worn jeans and heavy metal t-shirt with disgust.  “What did you do?  Steal someone’s laundry off their clothesline?”

“Come on, Papa, I haven’t done that since I was a teen.” He embraced his father in a warm hug, noting the slightly grayer hair around the older man’s temples that wasn’t there when he was first incarcerated.  “Now I stake out Laundromats and collect clean clothes out of the dryer while the owners step out for a smoke.”

“Bae…”

“I’m kidding, Papa!  Just looking the part is all.  The rest of the world knows me as Neal Cassidy, remember?  I’ve been doing what you said; I got out of the game and turned legit.  I have a job and everything.”

“You’re wearing Walmart jeans yet drive a new Cadillac?” Gold cupped his hand around his beloved son’s face and gave him a knowing look.  “You’re not actually picking me up from prison in a _stolen_ car, are you?”

Neal smiled brightly.  “It’s your first day back in the real world, Pops.  Appearances are everything!  You taught me that.  Come on.  There are brand new Armani suits hanging in the back for both of us, we have a suite booked at the Four Seasons in Boston and reservations for dinner at _L’Espalier_.”

Gold chuckled as he slapped his son on the back.  “Out of the game, my ass.”

Neal shrugged as he opened the car door for his father.  “Everyone needs a hobby.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Gold sipped his drink appreciatively, admiring how the full bodied red wine complimented his Angus beef steak and mushroom ragout perfectly.  He would have to send his compliments to the sommelier.

Leaning back in the cushioned chair, he admired the unique book-lined walls that reminded him of the once extensive library in his old Victorian house.  Now all he had were his memories and the questionably-acquired suit on his back.  My, how his life has changed.

His son glanced up from his lamb chops and frowned.  “So.  Are you going to treat me like a grown up and tell me?”

“Hmmm?” Gold tore his eyes off of a first edition his nimble fingers itched to snatch and wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin.  “Tell you what?”

“Come on!  You, sitting alone in a jail cell with nothing to do but plot for _two whole years_ , and you have to ask?  You have a plan already.”

Gold smirked.  “Are you joking? I just became a citizen again.”

“Who’s the mark?”

“I’ve been deemed rehabilitated.”

“Who’s the mark?”

The waitress suddenly appeared to clear the table and informed them the soufflés they had pre-ordered would be out momentarily.  Gold glanced around at the other patrons and lowered his voice.

“It’s tricky; it’s never been done before.  The take…over one hundred million dollars.”

“Papa!” That was not the answer Neal was looking for and he wasn’t about to be distracted.  “ _Who_ is the mark?”

“Tell me, son.  When was the last time you were in Storybrooke?”

Neal choked on his coffee and sputtered.  “You wanna knock over a casino?” 

There was little else in the seaside city that could draw his father’s attention and only one person that would draw his ire.  “You’re not seriously thinking about going up against Regina Mills?  Are you crazy?  Why do it?”

“Why not do it?”

“Give me a reason.  And don’t say money.”

Gold sighed and ran his hand through his long hair.  “Because I walked out of that prison today after losing two years of my life.”  His Scottish brogue grew thicker with every word.  “Her betrayal didn’t just cost me my freedom, it cost me everything!  I lost my home, possessions I spent a lifetime acquiring, I lost every penny fighting to keep my sentence down.  I lost time with the ones I love.”  He gently laid his worn hand over Neal’s and gave it a squeeze.  “Because the house _always_ wins.  You play long enough, you never change the stakes, the house always takes you.  Unless that perfect hand comes along and you bet big, and then _you_ take the house.”

Neal placed his other hand on top of his father’s and sighed.  “You practiced that speech didn’t you?”

Gold laughed.  “A little bit.  Did I rush it?”

“No, it was good.  Very powerful.”

Their desserts arrived and Gold swirled the delightful mix of dark chocolate and subtle mint around his tongue.  The bland prison food he had been forced to choke down for two thousand meals already long forgotten.  God, it was good to be free!

“You know, Papa, to pull this off you’re going to need a crew as nuts as you.”  Neal pointed a chocolate covered spoon in his direction.  “I’m in.  Who else have you got in mind?”


	2. Mary Margaret and David

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The parts in italics are the conversations between Gold and Neal at the restaurant as they go through their list. It goes back and forth as they travel the U.S. to recruit their crew.

_“You know, Papa, to pull this off you’re going to need a crew as nuts as you.”  Neal pointed a chocolate covered spoon in his direction.  “I’m in.  Who else have you got in mind?”_

_“Let’s go through the list then, shall we?”  Gold took a sip of his Johnny Walker scotch and visibly relaxed.  There was no way he could pull this off without his son’s help.  “First we need a bankroller.  My funds are a wee bit low at the moment.”_

_“This is going to take some serious change.  I don’t know anyone who would be willing to invest that much in us.”_

_“Well, Regina has a long list of enemies.”_

_“Yeah, but it has to be someone rich, trusting, and with nothing to lose. Ah…Mary Margaret.”_

_“Mary Margaret, indeed.” Gold smiled, his gold tooth glistening in the candlelight.  “What do you think she’ll say?”_

 

~8~8~8~

 

“Good Lord!  You’re out of your mind!”  Mary Margaret Blanchard unconsciously grasped the silver cross that hung around her neck.  It was the last gift she had ever received from her mother and she clutched it now to draw its strength.  “I don’t have the resources I used to, you know.  Why should I help fund your illegal activities?”

Gold looked around the elegant but small Connecticut home that she had once considered her weekend cottage but was now her permanent (and only) residence.

“Don’t think of it so much as _funding_ , dearie, as _investing_.  You invest ten million dollars with us and we’ll double your money in a month.”

“Guaranteed,” added Neal, popping a cherry tomato into his mouth.

Mary Margaret took a sip of her Chardonnay and carefully weighed her next words.  “While I’m well aware of your reputation of never going back on your deals, Mr. Gold, there is no way that you or your associate here can guarantee anything.  Ten million is all I have left from the trust fund my mother set up.”  Her voice wavered on the last word and she closed her eyes to compose herself.  “There has been some…issues…with my inheritance.”

“I’m sorry about your father, dearie,” Gold said sincerely, gripping the top of his cane.  “Leo was a good man.”

“Thank you,” she responded quietly.  “So I’m sure you can understand why I can’t help you.”

Gold wiped his mouth and stood up from the table, motioning for his son to do the same.  “Of course, Ms. Blanchard.  Thank you very much for lunch and, of course, your time.  It was a pleasure seeing you again.”  He kissed her knuckles lightly, giving her hand a sympathetic squeeze.

Neal opened his mouth to protest but wisely said nothing.  Donning his sunglasses, he flashed the beautiful young woman a smile and reluctantly followed his father.

“Just out of curiosity,” she called out before they reached the door, “what was your target?”

Mr. Gold smiled brightly.  When he turned around to face the former heiress, however, his expression was neutral.  “Oh, just a little tourist center in New England.”

“The Storybrooke Casino, Hotel and Convention Center, to be exact,” added Neal.

The sound of glass shattering on the marble floor echoed throughout the room.  “That’s Regina’s place.  What do you guys have against Regina Mills?”

Neal removed his glasses and addressed Mary Margaret.  “The question is…what do _you_ have against Regina Mills?”

“Regina, my _step-mother_ , had my father killed!” She marched towards the two men, a new fire burning in her eyes.  “I have no proof but I _know_ it.  She took everything my father spent a lifetime building, all to create that gaudy monstrosity of a Casino where my mother’s summer house used to be.”

“She had one of her lovers fiddle with your father’s breaks,” Gold responded quietly.  “The following week, that same young man died under mysterious circumstances.  There’s no way she can be brought to justice, my dear, but we _can_ ruin her.  With your help.”

Her eyes shone brightly with unshed tears.  “I want to see the look on her damn face when we take her for everything she has.  All right.  I’m in!”

 

~8~8~8~

 

_“Who’s next on the list?” asked Neal, scraping his soufflé bowl clean with his spoon.  He seriously considered running a finger along the inside and licking it, but his father had already criticized his table manners once this meal._

_“We need someone to infiltrate the casino, someone who can work the tables and gain intel.  We need someone good at subterfuge.”_

_“We need a charmer.”_

_“Who we need…is David Nolan.”_

 

~8~8~8~

 

Atlantic City – America’s Playground, or so the advertisements say.  Mr. Gold looked around with disdain as a group of drunken young men took turns vomiting in an alley while the one sober man in the group propositioned a working girl. 

What a decrepit playground.

The casino’s garish neon lights attracted gamblers like moths to a flame.  He slowly climbed the steps, leaning heavily on his cane.  He had been denied his walking staff while in prison and his knee had ached every minute.  The guards believed it could be used as a potential weapon, perhaps to beat an adversary into submission. 

Gold may have been a ruthless businessman and thief, but he had never been violent. The pen was his weapon of choice.

A scantily clad blonde winked at him as he passed the slot machines.  “Anything I can do for you, handsome?”

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the prostitute.  “Could you please point me in the direction of the blackjack tables?”

She smiled seductively and bit her index finger, acting as though he had just asked for something _suggestive_.  Her voice was low and throaty as she approached him and adjusted his tie.  “Just head in that direction and turn left once you reach the Porsche.  You can’t miss it.”  She pulled a business card from her cleavage and handed it to him. 

God, he hated Atlantic City!  The sooner he talked to Nolan the better!

The rows of slot machines disappeared to make room for dozens of card tables.  Passing by the ones designated as Texas Hold’Em and Poker, he slowly made his way to the Blackjack section.  Sitting down at an empty table, he withdrew some chips from his pocket and placed them in front of him.

“Good evening, sir.  And how are you today?”

“Hello, David.”

The younger man with the short blond hair looked up in surprise.  He quickly steeled his features and cleared his throat loudly.  “I’m sorry, sir, but you must have me confused with somebody else.  My name is James Prince, as you can see right here.”  He pointed to his metallic name tag that clearly identified him as James.

“My apologies, James.  It would appear I was indeed mistaken.”

“That’s quite all right, sir.  You might want to try the lounge at Ceasars around nine o’clock.  I believe you’ll find who you’re looking for there.”

“Thank you very much for your assistance…James.”

 

.......

 

The bar was softly lit and inviting.  Gold gratefully sank onto the plush barstool, relieving the pressure from his aching knee, and swiveled it to get a better view of the lounge’s only entrance.  Although he had only been in a medium security prison, he learned it was never wise to leave your back exposed. 

At five after nine, his companion sauntered in, his eyes quickly taking in the other patrons.  Seeming satisfied, he approached the bar and claimed the stool a couple of seats down from Gold.  The bartender handed him a mug of whatever was on tap.

“James,” greeted Gold.

“Glad to meet you,” he responded, taking a sip of the amber liquid.  “David Nolan can’t get past the Gaming Commission.”

“I must say I’m surprised you’re working here.  I thought you would be living the high life in New York.  Weren’t you working a long con, infiltrating the upper management of a Fortune 500 company?”

“I was, but I walked away from it.  We were supposed to merge with another firm…well, it was more of a takeover really.  My CEO wanted me to marry our rival’s daughter to gain the upper hand.”

Gold sneered.  “Don’t tell me – you fell in love in a love con?”

David smiled sheepishly.  “Nah, nothing so romantic.  Kathryn was a good person.  A great person, actually.  She deserved to marry someone who would worship her the way I never could.  I couldn’t take advantage of her. She was so…trusting!  So I broke off the engagement and my boss fired me.”  He took a deep swig of his ale and smirked.   “I may have also relieved him of the company’s petty cash on my way out; enough to start a new life for myself.”

“So you do well here?”

“Well enough.  Tourists are always ‘misplacing’ their wallets around the casino.  I make enough selling false identities to those in need that my salary is just a bonus.  It’s a great place to spot marks.  Speaking of which…”

He reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a very familiar black wallet.  Gold patted down his suit jacket and stared incredulously at his friend.  “How did you…”

“The blonde.  She said you were too busy silently judging her to notice the lift.”  He handed the wallet over and smirked.  “Don’t feel too badly.  She’s one of my best and you are obviously out of practice from your stint in the joint.  I’m assuming you managed to sweet talk your way into early parole?”

Gold sighed as he checked his wallet’s contents, noting it was considerably lighter than when he had ‘misplaced’ it.  “Just got out the other day, in fact.”

“So what’s the job?”

“What?  I can’t drop by to visit an old friend?”

“Nope.  It’s always something with you.  Whatever it is…I want in.  Just tell me what you need me to do.”

Gold smiled slyly.  “I need you to get a job as a casino blackjack dealer.”

David raised his eyebrows in confusion.

“In Storybrooke,” he added.  Realization dawned on David’s features and the younger man raised his ale in a salute.

“To Regina’s financial demise,” he toasted.

“May she never see us coming,” added Gold as they clinked glasses.


	3. August and Leroy

_Their waitress presented them with a selection of_ fromages _and suggested a new bottle of wine, one that would enhance the distinctive flavors of the cheeses.  Gold savored the last course slowly, appreciating the uniqueness of each selection._

_Neal, on the other hand, grabbed one of each and stuffed them in his mouth all at once._

_“This is a lot better than the cheese spray I have at home,” he managed to mumble._

_“It’s hard to believe we’re from the same family,” Gold replied dryly._

_“Speaking of family,” said Neal, washing down his mouthful of cheese with the $100 wine, “I got a buddy I’d like to bring in.  Nolan may be good at identity theft, but this guy, August, could convince you he’s the long lost son you never knew you had!  I swear he could beat a lie detector test.  He even once managed to con_ me _out of twenty grand!  He’s that good.”_

_“Can he be trusted?”_

_“Of course!  He’s like a brother to me now.  Besides…he’s six months off a job and I have a feeling he’s having trouble filling his days.”_

_“If he’s as good a liar as you seem to think he is, bring him in.”_

 

~8~8~8~

 

Neal had always dreamed of going to Hawaii. As a child he had spent most of his time fantasizing about travelling to exotic destinations, staying at only the best resorts and driving the most expensive cars. 

He was nothing if not pragmatic though; he carefully hid his funds away for a rainy day instead of wasting them on frivolities.  Gold had done everything he could to support them, but as a single parent (and a teenaged one at that!) they had both spent too many nights going to bed hungry. 

Neal swore he would never go hungry again.

He walked along the shore, enjoying the hot sand that shifted beneath his bare feet.  He looked around carefully, trying to discern a familiar face amongst the hundreds of tourists currently lounging about the beach.

He finally spotted his old friend lying shirtless on a large towel with several empty bottles of Corona scattered around him.  Neal gently nudged him with his foot, but the slightly older man did not stir. 

August was drunk again. 

Smiling mischievously to himself, Neal picked up some sun screen.  August should know better than to pass out in public.  Trying to stifle his giggles, he headed off to a small café about twenty yards away.  He might as well sample some Spam and eggs while he waited for his friend to wake up.

 

...

 

Neal returned about an hour later to find August still asleep, snoring peacefully.  Licking his snow cone, he casually sat next to his sleeping friend and dumped an ice cold cup of water onto his face.

“What the Hell?” he sputtered, sitting up quickly.

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!” sang Neal.

August scratched at his three day old stubble and glared at his new companion.  “Dammit, Cassidy!  What’s your problem?”

“My problem, friend, is that it’s eleven o’clock in the morning and I couldn’t wait around all day while you’re passed out in the sun.” He slapped August on the arm, causing the man to howl in pain.  Every inch of skin that had been subjected to the sun’s harsh rays was now the color of a ripe tomato.

“Shit!” August winced in pain.  “In my defense, the sun wasn’t up yet when I decided to take a nap on the beach.”

“Come on.  Let’s get you into some shade.”

The two men walked back to Neal’s hotel, a short walk away.  A group of young, bikini clad women giggled as they walked by and August flashed them his most brilliant smile.  The giggles turned into raucous laughter.

“That was weird,” mumbled August.

“Hmmm?” Neal pretended to be entirely engrossed in his snow cone.  “So has your money run out yet?”

August smiled.  “Just about.  Life is all about pleasure, my friend.  I only work when I have to.  The rest of my life is dedicated to indulging my every desire; sun, surf and sex.  My Holy Trinity.”

They reached the resort’s parking lot and passed by a group of gray haired seniors who gaped at them opened mouthed.  They pointed their cameras at the duo and began to click furiously.  August sent them a dirty look. 

“Just ignore them,” Neal soothed, trying to hide his grin.  “So how’s that novel coming?”

“I’m afraid I’m suffering from writer’s block.”

“Perhaps a change in scenery is what you need to get the juices flowing again.”

“Interesting,” August murmured.  “And where would you suggest?”

Neal handed him an airline ticket.  “We’re on the five o’clock.”

“Are you going to at least give me a hint?”

“We’re going someplace…inspiring!”

“Mommy!  Mommy!  Look!  That man has a rocket ship on his chest!  Cool!”

A young woman looked up and stifled a shriek.  She covered her son’s eyes with her hand and glared at August.  “You should be ashamed of yourself!”

Neal could no longer hold in his laughter as August stared dumbfounded at the woman.  He approached one of the lobby’s many mirrored elevators and finally saw Neal’s handiwork.  His chest and belly were lobster red everywhere but for the faint outline of a long cylindrical object that was clearly _not_ a rocket ship. “Aww! Not cool man!”

“That’s for the time you used _my_ identity on a job, you dick!  Come on.  Let’s get you a shirt or they won’t let you on the plane.”

“This job had better be worth it, Cassidy.”

 

~8~8~8~

_“Demolitions?” asked Neal, popping a delightful Gouda into his mouth._

_“Leroy would be my first choice, if he’s available,” replied Gold, trying some Camembert._

_Neal exhaled deeply.  “I don’t know, Pops.  He has an attitude problem.”_

_Gold chuckled.  “That’s why his brothers gave him the nickname Grumpy.  His therapist once told him he needed to channel his anger into something constructive.  I doubt explosives is what the man had in mind, but there you go.”_

_“Great.  Just what we need.  A manic depressive who like to blow shit up.”_

_“As long as he doesn’t blow us up in the process.  I’ll take this one, son.  It’s been a while since I’ve been to New Mexico.  The dry heat will probably be good for my knee.”_

 

~8~8~8~

 

The Clark house was much smaller than Gold had been anticipating, considering that the remaining seven brothers all called it home.  There had originally been eight in the family, but a tragic mining accident a few years back had reduced their number.  Now, none were willing to leave the small town, or their fallen brother, behind.

No one but Leroy, that is.

The mines didn’t call to him like it did his brothers.  Gold knew he was secretly saving his meager funds to buy a boat and sail across the ocean to far off lands.  Blowing up the odd safe or underground tunnel for Gold and his associates had definitely increased his little stockpile, but it was never enough.  Family always came first in his book, and his savings were constantly being used to make the next mortgage payment or to fix a leaky roof.

“Hello, Tom,” he said cordially when the door was opened.  “May I have a word with Leroy, please?”

“Of course, Mr. – Mr. – ACHOO!” Gold withdrew his silk handkerchief and offered it to the sneezing man.  “Thank you, Mr. Gold.  That mining dust plays havoc with my sinuses.  Please come in.”

The kitchen was completely taken up by the long table.  Six men were crowded around it, their evening meal coming to an end.  There was an untouched place setting at the head of the table but it was not offered to Gold, nor would he have claimed it.  That spot was reserved for the fallen brother. 

Tom retrieved a wooden chair from the den and offered him some coffee.  Gold gladly accepted it and quietly observed the large family.  Leroy scowled at him over his dessert while Walter nodded off over a beer.  The oldest brother was shining a light into the eyes of the youngest who, judging by the dazed look on his face, was obviously stoned again.  The other two simply smiled politely from the other side of the table.

“Not interested,” said Leroy, glaring daggers at his guest.

“You haven’t yet heard what I have to say,” replied Gold, sipping his coffee patiently.

“I said I ain’t interested!  Times are tough around here.  We’re all working double shifts just to make the mortgage.  I can’t afford to miss work.  My brothers need me.”

“I understand more than you know, Leroy.  I too lost my home, when I was unjustly incarcerated.”

“Unjustly my ass!  You were guilty as sin!”

“I may have committed the act but I was caught only because I was betrayed.   I had to pay the price.  I accept that.  Now it’s time to rebuild.  We do this one last job and we’re set for life.”

Leroy snorted in to his beer.  “And in the meantime, while I’m with you, my brothers are out on the street.  I’m sorry.  I just can’t afford to take that chance.”

Gold reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a slip of paper.  “Perhaps a show of good faith is in order.”  He placed the paper on the center of the table and seven heads (well six, the doped up one had no idea what was going on) leaned over to read it.

“Is this for re—re—Achoo! Real?”

“Consider it an advance for your services, Leroy. As of an hour ago, your mortgage is paid in full.  Do I have your attention yet?”

“For that you can have any part of me you want!  I’m in!”


	4. Ruby and Archie

_“We’ll need a tracker,” said Neal, choosing a glossy red grape.  “Someone who can shadow Regina and her men without being noticed.”_

_“That’s easy,” Gold said, waving his hand dismissively.  “Graham Humbert.”_

_“Dead.”_

_“On the job?”_

_“Heart failure.”_

_“That’s truly unfortunate.  Not only was he a good man but he was the best at what he did.”_

_“There’s always Ruby.  She may be green but she’s a natural; a real predator.  She has animal instincts.”_

_“And it never hurts to have beautiful women on the payroll either.  It’s settled then.  You fetch her.”_

 

~8~8~8~

 

Ruby’s whereabouts were never as easy to track down as the others.  After severing her small town roots in Iowa when she turned of age, she swore she would never be tied down to any one location for too long. 

Neal simply sent an email letting her know that he had a lucrative job offer to discuss with her and on which day he would be in Manhattan.  If she was interested then she would find him.

He didn’t make it easy for her.  He used one of his many aliases to acquire a room in Brooklyn. The following day, he travelled by bus, taxi and subway to get to his destination: Gray’s Papaya in the Upper West Side.  He ordered two sausages and two beverages (one diet) and sat himself at the window. 

Before he managed to even bite into his hot dog, a raven haired beauty dropped into the seat next to him.  “Yum!  You remembered I hate onions!”

“Do I know how to treat a lady or what?”

“So did I pass?” she mumbled, her mouth full of the juicy meat.

“With flying colors.”  He dug into his own lunch heartily.  “I see you finally ditched the red streaks in your hair.”

Rudy’s features were suddenly subdued.  “Graham said it made me easy to spot.”

He reached out and squeezed her hand.  He knew how close she had been to her mentor.  They were two lone wolves who managed to somehow carve out a little place for the other in their solitary lives.   “I didn’t see you at his funeral.”

“Ah, but I saw you,” she smirked playfully, her somber mood gone as quickly as it came.  “You cried during _Danny Boy_ then tried to pass it off as a sneeze.”

“Shit.”  Neal felt his body blush from head to toe. He tugged at his collar and blew out a deep breath.  “Wow!  This sausage was spicy!  Is yours spicy?  Mine was really hot.”

Ruby giggled.  “You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed!”

“You wanna hear about the job or don’t you?”

“Don’t need to.  I rifled through your luggage while you were showering this morning.  There was a bus ticket to Connecticut with my name on it.  Now, the only thing interesting about that State is that Mary Margaret Blanchard lives there, which tells me she’s involved.  I also saw a list of names in your father’s handwriting, which tells me he’s out of jail and he’s got something really big planned that requires a large crew.  Combining what I know about M&M and your dad’s incarceration, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that you are planning on robbing Regina’s casino.”

“You were in my hotel room this morning?  Geeze woman!  Learn some boundaries!”

“So was I right?”

“Eerily!  That’s amazing.”

“That’s why I’m paid the big bucks.”  She hopped off her stool and grabbed her drink to go.  “Oh!  And Cassidy?  I think it’s real sweet how you still travel with that old Dreamcatcher.”

Neal’s face was now on fire.  “Shit.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

_“Who’s next?” asked Neal, smiling at the waitress as she cleared away their table._

_“We need a pickpocket; an expert at sleight of hand.  We need Archie Hopper.”_

_“He won’t do it.  He got out of the game a year ago.”_

_“Did he finally develop a conscience?”_

_“Sort of.”  He threw back the last of his wine and smacked his lips.  “He helped his parents out on a lift… against his better judgment.  You know how they are.  The whole thing got screwed up so they placed the blame on some innocent couple.  Their kid, Marco, got put into a foster home while they were hauled off to lockup.  They’re out and back with their boy but Archie blames himself.  He’s lost his confidence.”_

_“I guess I’ll just have to bolster it then, won’t I?”_

 

~8~8~8~

 

After the dry heat of New Mexico, Seattle’s constant humidity was wreaking havoc on his knee.  He hobbled along as quick as he dared, not wanting to slip on the slick sidewalk.  The umbrella in his left hand was in danger of blowing away in the sudden updraft and he gripped it more firmly.  He sighed in relief as he reached the entrance of Hopper’s apartment and smiled when he saw the elevator.  Archie lived on the tenth floor and he was relieved he would not be forced to climb the stairs.

Gold knocked on the door and didn’t have long to wait before it was answered.  Archie, wearing a polka-dot tie and a striped sweater vest, looked up in surprise at his old acquaintance.

“Mr. Gold!  Are you here about a job?”

Gold exhaled audibly.  “Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Well, because you…um…never mind.  Won’t you come in?”

Gold looked around the small but sensibly furnished bachelor pad.  He could smell the remains of a late supper, lasagna by the smell of it.  Then he noticed that Archie had no oven, just a microwave.  A frozen dinner box lay open in the trash.

“You never had your mother teach you how to cook before you moved out?”

Archie’s face reddened enough to match his hair.  “You, uh, heard about that?”

“Yes, and it’s about bloody time too!  You’re almost forty for God’s sake.  You should have flown away from the nest decades ago.”

“Those people…my parents…are quite controlling.  It’s been difficult to get away.”

“Well, I’m proud of you for finally cutting the cord.  You were always at the top of your game when they weren’t around.  They were holding you down.”

“They were drowning me!  I’m not the man I want to be.  I’m tired of being known as _their_ son.”  Archie dropped into an armchair and rested his head on his hands.

“Come work for me and _they’ll_ be known as _your_ parents instead.  Make a name for yourself.”

“So you _are_ here about a job.”

Gold smirked.  “Of course I am.  I am offering you the chance of a lifetime.  Do this last job with me and you’ll never have to worry about money again.  You could finally go to college if you wish, travel the world, start a new life…help out a certain young family to make their life a little easier.”

Archie chuckled humorlessly.   “How is it that you always know _everything_?” 

“Magic, dearie!  Plus my son kept his ear pretty close to the ground during my absence.”

“Well, if you and Baelfire are teaming up on this then it must be something big.  All right. I’m in.  But this is my last job…ever!”

“That’s what we all say, Archie.  Every time.”


	5. Jefferson and Granny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this story, Granny and Ruby are not related. They don't even know each other. Granny's backstory is a little....different! Hope you still like it!

 

_The waitress returned with their bill and a smile.  Mr. Gold caught a glimpse of the total before Bae managed to hide it from sight.  It was over $500!  It hadn’t been the greatest steak Gold had ever had in his life but the wine had been worth every penny._

_He just hoped that his son had a way to pay for it.  Bae (or Neal as he insisted on being called now), didn’t seem at all fazed by the total.  That was a good sign…he hoped.  There was no way that he could run with his bad leg._

_Fortunately, Neal handed the waitress a black credit card.  “So is that everyone?” he asked, slipping the complimentary after-dinner mint into his mouth._

_“Not quite.  We need someone who’s able to acquire all the equipment and materials we need.  Some of it will be difficult to locate.”_

_“I thought you had connections for that kind of thing.”_

_“He_ is _my connections.”_

_“Who’s ‘he’?”_

_“Jefferson.”_

_“The nut who always wears the ascot?”_

_Gold straightened his Armani tie.  “Some of us like to look our best, son.”_

_“And some people are just bat-shit crazy!”_

 

~8~8~8~

 

Crazy was a word that had been used to describe Jefferson for years.  His flamboyant mannerisms irritated most people to no end but Gold had always found it somewhat endearing.  They had worked together on many a job over the last two decades; teenaged Jefferson had been eager to learn and Gold was always eager to have someone else do the heavy lifting, especially for free. 

Also, if a distraction was ever in need, Jefferson was always ready to deliver; the more elaborate the better.

Gold pulled up to the sprawling mansion in the early evening.  Georgia was always beautiful this time of year; hot but beautiful.  He sincerely hoped there was air conditioning in the house. 

Jefferson had always had money.  Unlike Gold and Bae, there was never a time when he had gone to bed hungry or wondered how he was going to come up with the rent.  His motivation to learn the con game was simply out of boredom and a desire to rebel from his parents’ strict Southern rules of conduct.

The door opened with a flourish and Jefferson bowed deeply.  “What wonderful timing, my dear Danny!  Come, come!  It’s time for tea.”  He was the only person on Earth who was able to call Gold ‘Danny’ and get away with it.

The marble floors glistened in the light from the crystal chandelier that hung from the second story ceiling.  The furniture in the front rooms were painfully modern and appeared as though they had never been touched.  The mansion had more rooms than the small family could ever hope to use.  The only indication that a child even lived there was the crayon drawings framed throughout the hallway.

“Where’s Grace?”  Gold asked, noting the sadness that quickly reached his old friend’s eyes.  “I brought her an antique stuffed rabbit to make up for missing two of her birthdays.”

Jefferson’s hands shook slightly as he poured the tea, missing the china cup completely.  “She’s travelling around Europe with her godparents for the summer.”

Gold knew how deeply Jefferson loved his little girl and would never consent to her being out of his sight for months without a very good reason.  “What’s happened?”

Jefferson slumped dramatically in his chair and withdrew his leg from under the table.  Pulling up his pant leg, Gold saw an electronic monitoring device strapped just above the ankle.  “I’ve been grounded for four months!”

Mr. Gold chuckled softly.  “Ah!  And what sort of mayhem were you causing to deserve such a _harsh_ sentence.”

Jefferson mumbled something incoherent.  “Sorry,” Gold said.  “Didn’t catch that.”

“PEEPING! Okay?  God, it’s mortifying!”

“And on whom were you peeping?”

“No one!  It’s all been one big misunderstanding!”  Jefferson ran his hands through his hair, making it stand on end.  He began pacing around the room in a frenzy while Gold sat silently, sipping his tea.  He had gotten used to these sudden mood swings over the last twenty years.

“You see, near the end of the school year, Grace was learning all about the stars and planets.  So, like a good father, I purchased several telescopes and put them all over the house so we could learn about the heavens together.  Some of the neighbors complained and when the police came by they saw that several telescopes _happened_ to be pointed towards some houses.  I donated a small fortune to keep this all hush-hush so my sentence was only four months house arrest.”

“So why did you send Grace away?”

“What kind of father would I be if I kept her locked up here with me?  You don’t know what’s it’s like to not be able to take your child to the park or the movies.  It’s enough to make you go mad!”

Gold’s features remained impassive but his voice became low and cold.  “Oh, I know exactly what that’s like, dearie.  Remember?  At least you got to choose with whom your child was sent to live.”

Jefferson’s face crumbled in sympathy.  “I’m sorry.  Where is my head today?  Of course _you_ know better than anyone.  I forgot.  Forgive me.”

“No matter,” Gold replied, wishing to put the bad memories behind him.  “I came to discuss business.  Bae and I require your unimpeachable services.”

Jefferson snickered somberly.  “And how exactly am I supposed to do that when I’m trapped inside my mansion for all eternity?”

“Give me a day.  I can easily have that device removed.  We’ll secure it on someone else who will then live here in your absence for the next few weeks.  Once the job is done, we’ll switch it back to you.  No one will ever be the wiser.”

Jefferson smiled maniacally and placed an elaborate top hat on his head.  “You’re the boss, boss! Get me out of here!” 

 

~8~8~8~

 

_“We hope to see you again soon, Mr. Diaz,” the Maître D’ called to Neal._

_“Diaz?” asked Gold as they walked out into the cool night air._

_He waved his hand dismissively. “Just some important big wig at work who’s on medical leave.  The company won’t even notice his travel card is missing until the accountants get the statements.”_

_“Credit card fraud? My heart swells with pride,” Gold said dryly._

_“Come on!  You have to admit that’s pretty slick. You know who would be proud of me?  Granny!”_

_“Fine.  You can tell her all about it when you go see her in Ft. Lauderdale.”_

_“We’re bringing in the_ Black Widow _? Isn’t she a little too….seasoned for this?”_

_“I prefer to think of it as experienced.”_

_“Yeah, but she hasn’t pulled off a job this big in years.  This much excitement will probably give her a heart attack!”_

 

~8~8~8~

 

Florida – nature’s waiting room; where the retired come to await death.  Neal shuddered at the thought.  There was a time once when he had planned on living down here, with someone special.  Now the thought of the Sunshine State just made him nauseous. 

He easily slipped past the bored guard and snuck unto the retirement compound.  Gated community my ass, he thought bitterly.  Ocean View Estates had neither a view of the ocean nor did the accommodations resemble anything estate-like. Granny lived in one of the many rows of simple, nondescript condos that littered the area, surrounded by tennis courts, golf courses and restaurants.

There was only one reason why Granny would choose to live in such a place.

She was nothing if not a creature of habit.  In order to hunt you had to blend into your environment, let your prey become acclimatized to your presence and never make sudden movements.  Once they were accustomed to you, they would never see you coming until it was too late.

Granny’s targets, however, were not animals; they were husbands.

She had never actually _killed_ one, at least to Neal’s knowledge.  Her goal was to marry rich, older men and wait for them to die on their own.  And die they did!  At last count, she had buried twelve husbands.  Inheritances never seemed to last very long.

He walked into the diner, the most casual eating establishment on the compound, and spotted Granny sitting quietly in a corner booth.  A cup of tea lay untouched by her side while she furiously knit a colorful blanket.

“Who’s pregnant this time?” he asked as he scooted into the booth.  If she was surprised by his sudden appearance she showed no sign of it. 

“My eighth husband’s second daughter is becoming a grandmother for the first time next week.  Then my second husband’s great-grandson is adopting a baby girl from China in September.” 

“I don’t know how you keep track of everyone.  Most women in your line of work just take the money and run.  To Hell with the relatives!”

“What can I say?  I never had kids of my own.  I like to keep in touch.”  She glanced up quickly then resumed her work.  “I’m still waiting for my sixth husband’s grandson to give me something to smile about.”

“And you’ll be waiting some time yet, Granny.  Kids are not in my immediate future.”

Granny took a sip of tea and sighed.  “Do you know _why_ your grandfather was my favorite husband?”

“Because he died of natural causes one week into the marriage?  Or was it the accent?”

“The accent didn’t hurt.”  She chuckled softly.  “He was my favorite because for the first time in my career, I suddenly found myself the legal guardian of a child.  I was somebody’s mother! Most of the men I married had children older than I was.  Hell!  Some of them had grandchildren my age.  I adored your father; twelve years old but smart as a whip.  That little scoundrel and I made quite the team.  I taught him everything I knew and then some.  He was my pride and joy.   Then he went and screwed everything up by getting that whore pregnant.”

“Granny!  I’m right here!”

“Milah was a whore and everybody knows it!  As I was saying, she abandoned the both of you, ran off with all our money like the no-good piece of trash that she was and then _you_ became my pride and joy.  No matter how many step-kids, grandkids or great-grandkids I have, _you_ will always be my favorite.  You’re like my own blood.  Now hurry up and start a family while I’m still alive to enjoy them!”

An elderly waitress placed a hamburger and an order fries in front of Neal and nodded to Granny.  “I didn’t order this,” he called back to the server.

“I ordered it for you,” Granny replied, resuming her knitting.  “I know it’s your favorite.”

“How did you know I was coming?”

“I’m old, not blind!  I have my ways.”

“You still got it, Granny!”  Neal loaded ketchup and salt on his fries while Granny looked on fondly.  “So have you got husband number thirteen picked out yet?”

“I did,” she sighed sadly.  “We were supposed to have dinner this weekend but he broke his hip the other day.  He’ll be in the hospital for several months… if he even lives that long!  Months of work, laughing at his horrible racist jokes, was all for nothing.”

“So your calendar’s clear for the next few weeks then?”

“I suppose so.  Why?”

“How would you like to join forces with me and Papa for one last job?  You’ll never have to marry another old geezer again.”

Granny put down her knitting and stared at her step-grandson, eyes all business.  “Equal shares?”

“Of course.”

“I want an extra ten percent.”

“What for?”

“With age comes wisdom.  That costs extra.”

“Ten?  I think five.”

“Five percent and you pay for all my expenses.”

Neal gazed at the older woman, a smile tugging playfully at his lips.  “Deal.  I will cover it myself.  You can certainly drive a hard bargain.”

Granny took a sip of her tea and smirked.  “Your father had to learn it from someone.”


	6. Emma

_“So with Granny that makes ten.” Neal opened the door to their hotel suite and immediately headed to the mini bar.  “Ten should be enough.”_

_Mr. Gold sat down on the plush leather sofa and stretched out his leg. “We’re not done yet, dearie.  We need one more.”_

_“Really?” He counted them off with his fingers.  “By the end of the week, we should have our Bankroller, two Grifters, a Boomer, a Shadow, a Pickpocket, an Acquisitioner and the best damn Flimflammer of her generation.  Not to mention you, the Evil Genius, and me, the Jack-of-all-Trades.”_

_“Very true.  However, we need someone capable of bypassing Regina’s security measures and hacking into her computers.” Gold glanced furtively over at his son. “It would also be useful if this person is familiar with standard operating police procedures.”_

_“That’s quite a tall order,” Neal said, opening a very expensive jar of peanuts. “Do you have someone in mind or…wait!  No!”_

_“We need her, Bae,” Gold whispered._

_“No!  Absolutely not! No, no, no, no, no!  End of discussion!”_

_“As you just so eloquently put it,_ I _am the brains of this operation, not you.  She happens to be living right here in Boston and we are going to pay her a visit. Tonight.”_

_“She hates my guts, Papa!  I ruined any chance she and I had together, not to mention destroyed her life!  Why would she want to help us?”_

_“Because she owes me a favor, son.  A big one.  And I’m ready to collect.”_

 

~8~8~8~

 

“I can’t do this, Papa!  We can find someone else.”

They walked down the softly lit hallway of the downtown apartment building, Gold having easily picked the lock on the outer security door.  He didn’t want to give her the chance to refuse them entrance by buzzing her unit.  It was always better to catch someone off their guard.

“It’s not like you to be the coward in the family, son.  You’ve always been the bigger man; the better man.  Don’t make the same mistakes I have.”

They stopped at the last door on the left and took a moment to read the inspirational messages painted across her door.  Before Bae could lose the last of his courage, Gold knocked sharply with the handle of his cane and stood aside.

She answered the door wearing a sleeveless form fitting pink dress that accentuated every curve of her body.  Golden hair cascaded down her back in seductive waves. She was even more beautiful than Neal remembered.

“Hey, Emma.  It’s been a long time.”

The punch connected with the left side of Neal’s face with a resounding crack.  His body buckled from the blow and Gold had to reach out an arm to steady him.

“Good evening, Miss Swan,” Mr. Gold said pleasantly, unsurprised by Emma’s sudden assault on his son.  “May we come in?”

“What the _Hell_ are you two doing here?” she whispered, quickly glancing back into her apartment and shutting the door behind her.

“I assure you, dear, that we are not here to… _dig up the past_.”  He gave her a pointed look while Neal flexed his jaw and wiped the blood from his chin.

“All right,” she said, eyes darting back and forth between father and son.  “What do you want then?”

“Forgiveness?” asked Neal.

Emma narrowed her eyes.  “Let’s start with tolerance and go from there.”

“Fair enough,” Gold interjected.  “Miss Swan, we come bearing a business proposition for you.”

“Business proposition?” she scoffed.  “You do realize what I do for a living now, right?”

“Yeah,” said Neal.  “Bounty Hunter.  Odd choice of profession for a former thief, don’t you think.”

“It’s my life-long ambition to find the name _Baelfire Gold_ on my Wanted list and haul your sorry ass to jail.”

“I’m afraid that will never happen, dear.  He changed his name to Neal Cassidy some time ago.”  Mr. Gold glanced down the hall as a young couple emerged from another apartment.  “Perhaps we could continue this conversation in a more private setting?”

She reluctantly let them in, guiding them to a small kitchen. A cupcake lay on the counter, a faint wisp of smoke rising from the solitary candle in the shape of a blue star.

“Today’s your birthday, isn’t it?” asked Neal awkwardly, gesturing to the cake.  “Did you make a wish?”

“I’m making one right now.”  She squeezed her eyes shut and crossed her fingers.  When she opened them back up she sighed heavily.  “Damn!  You’re still here.  I guess there’s no such thing as magic.”

Before Neal could reply Gold cleared his throat loudly.  “Son, perhaps you should go to the washroom and tend to your wound.  You’re bleeding on her floor.”

“Down the hall on your right.  And don’t snoop in my cupboards!”

Once Neal was safely out of earshot, Emma rounded on Mr. Gold.  “Does he know?” she whispered furiously.

“Of course not, Miss Swan.  We made a deal that I would not tell him and in exchange you would owe me a favor.  And am I not a man of my word?”

“I swear to God, Gold.  He _cannot_ find out about Henry!  Not yet.”

“Then you’d best agree to my little proposition, dearie, because it’s time to pay up.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Neal stood in front of the small mirror and assessed his injury.  Emma sure knows how to land a punch, he thought ruefully.  He washed the blood off of his face and winced slightly at the pain.  Opening up the medicine cabinet, he went in search of some aspirin.   

“Why the Hell does she have _Incredible Hulk_ Band-Aids?” he asked out loud.

“Those are mine,” said a small voice behind him.

He jumped at the sound.  Spinning around, he found a young boy wearing pajamas depicting _The Avengers_ staring at up at him. 

“Hey! You’re hurt!  You can have one if you want.  I don’t mind.”

“Thanks, kid,” he replied warily.  “Who are you?” 

“I’m Henry.  Henry Swan.  What’s your name?”

“Henry!” Emma appeared around the corner, a panicked look on her face.  “What are you doing up?”

“The babysitter gave me too much juice before I went to bed.  Was this your date?”

Emma’s face flushed scarlet.  “No.  This is just an old…friend.  Once you’re done in there go straight back to bed, okay?”

“Okay.  Nice to meet you, Emma’s friend.”

Henry closed the washroom door behind him, leaving Emma and Neal staring awkwardly at one another.  She took the Band Aid from his hand, opened it and carefully covered the cut on his face. 

“The Hulk is a good choice for you,” said Emma, breaking the silence.  “He was a two-faced bastard as well.”

“I know I deserved that.” Neal looked down to his feet in shame.  Nervously, he hooked his thumb back towards the door.  “Ummm…Why is there a kid living with you?”

“He’s my…I’m his…”

“Miss Swan very kindly adopted young Henry two years ago,” interrupted Mr. Gold, suddenly appearing around the corner.  For a man with a cane he sure could sneak up on people.  “He had been in and out of foster homes his entire life.  When I heard of his predicament, I contacted her to see if she was willing to open up her home.  After all, she went through the same thing herself.  Every child deserves to be given their best chance.” 

“Huh,” replied Neal.  “Emma Swan as a mother figure.  It suits you.  He seems great.”

“Yeah.  He really is.”

“So why were _you_ involved and how come I never heard about it?” he demanded Gold.

“I think it’s safe to say that none us here have any love for the system.  I happened to stumble across him and made the arrangements before I was shipped off to prison.”

“Wait a minute!  How are you out already?  Please tell me I’m not harboring a fugitive right now!”

“Not to worry, dear.  I was released this afternoon on good behavior.  But I believe we were here to discuss a lucrative business offer with you.”

They were back in the kitchen and Emma began filling the kettle to make tea.  “Well, in case you haven’t noticed, I have a kid to look after now.  I have to do what’s best for Henry and that’s not to end up in jail…again!”

“But being a Bounty Hunter is?”  Neal asked, swiping a bit of icing off her cupcake.  He was a sucker for buttercream.

“Don’t you think he deserves to know that his new mom is safe and sound when he goes to sleep at night?” added Gold.

“I have a very limited skill set,” she replied, seething.  “I need to provide for him somehow, don’t I?”

“Not to change the subject,” said Neal, looking around puzzled, “but did you just move in here?  Where’s all your furniture?  I think we had more stuff in the back of the Bug!”

“I’m a minimalist.  It makes moving easier.”

“That can’t be good for Henry.  He requires some real stability in his life.  Doesn’t he deserve a house with a yard in a safe neighborhood?”

“Why stop there?  Why not a castle with a pet unicorn?  Those things cost money.  And lots of it.”

“Would ten million be sufficient?”

Emma was struck silent.  “Are you serious?”

“Well, give or take a million, depending on overhead expenses.”  Neal approached her slowly and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.  When he spoke again, it was barely above a whisper.  “I give you my word, Emma.  No one gets left behind this time.  I promise.”

When she finally looked up at him, her eyes were cold and hard.  “What’s the job?”

“We are going to break into the vault of the Storybrooke Casino and steal all of Regina Mills’s money.”

“But why?”

“Because we can.  But only with your help.”


	7. Blueprints

After leaving Henry in the care of a reliable neighbor, Emma joined Gold and Neal on one of the top floors of _Hancock Place,_ the famous skyscraper that towered over Beantown.  Although Emma had lived in Boston for over a year, she had never set foot inside the building.  They were afforded a fantastic view of Charles River, as well as thousands of twinkling city lights, all of which was lost on Gold as he bypassed the windows in search of a particular room.

“Wow!” Emma whispered, touching her fingers to the cold glass.  “What a view.”

“You’re telling me,” said Neal, staring not at the skyline but at the woman next to him.  “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.”

She could see his reflection perfectly in the floor to ceiling window and rolled her eyes.  “Oh please!  What are you?  Fourteen?  Cheesy pick-up lines don’t work on me.”

“What about your ‘date’ tonight?” asked Neal, his cheeks pinking slightly as he looked away.  “What did _he_ have to do to earn your attention?”

“He embezzled thousands of dollars from his employer and cheated on his wife.”

“Still got a thing for bad boys, huh?” he joked humorlessly. He unraveled a roll of antacids and popped a couple in his mouth.  “Doesn’t sound like he’d make a good father figure for Henry, though.”

Emma whirled around and jabbed her index finger into his chest, hard.  “First of all, he was a mark!  I made $2000 bringing that sleaze ball in tonight.  Second, who I do or do not date is none of your business anymore.  You gave up that right when you left me to the cops!”

“Emma, sweetheart,” Neal pleaded, taking her hand into his own and bringing them to his lips.  “I didn’t abandon you!  The cops showed up.  We ran.  I got over the fence in time.  You didn’t.  It killed me to see them take you away.”

She yanked her hand away as if his touch had burned her.  “If it really had killed you, then you wouldn’t be standing in front of me right now.” 

“Not to break up such a tender reunion,” called Gold from the other side of the long room, “but I believe I found what we’re looking for.”

Emma and Neal continued to stare silently at each other for a few more seconds before she finally broke contact and walked away.  She heard him sigh heavily but didn’t wait to see if he followed her into the Records Room.

Hundreds of metallic filing cabinets flanked the outer walls, top to bottom.  Emma tried to decipher their filing system but the jargon was lost on the Bounty Hunter.  Based on the scrolls of blueprints that littered the long wooden tables in the center of the room and the drafting table in the corner, she thought that perhaps they were in an Architecture firm.

Mr. Gold apparently knew what he needed and proceeded to check the labels on the cabinets.  Smiling grimly to himself, he opened one from the bottom row and triumphantly pulled out several cylinders.

“Let’s have a look, shall we?”  He unrolled a detailed blueprint and turned on the table’s lamp. 

“Whoa!” said Emma, looking over at father and son.  “If I’m reading this right, and I’d like to think that I am, then this is probably the least accessible vault ever designed!”

“Yes, it would certainly appear to be,” replied Gold, seemingly unconcerned.

Emma ran her hands through her golden hair.  “And here I thought this would just be some Smash and Grab job!”

“Slightly more complicated than that,” said Neal, grinning.  

“Her money has better protection than the President,” added Gold.  “As such, we require a large crew doing a combination of cons.  We need to be precise and well-funded.  With over a hundred million dollars on the line we can’t be too careful.”

“A hundred million?” cried Emma.

“Do you think she’ll mind?” asked Neal.

“More than somewhat.”

A bright light flickered suddenly in their eyes, blinding them.  Emma raised her hand to shield both her eyes from the glare and her face from the stranger.  Thankfully she had changed out of that ridiculous dress and knew she could easily outrun the average security guard, if need be. 

“Mr. Krzyszkowski, please put that light away,” growled Gold.

“Sorry Mr. Gold,” said the newcomer.  Once the flashlight was extinguished, she could see that the guardian of the archives was a slight, balding man in his late forties or early fifties.  His engraved nametag identified him simply as Mr. K.  “Are you about done here?  Did you find what you need?”

“Yes.  We’re going to take these for the night and make some copies.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Gold.  Whatever you need.”

“We appreciate it.  Consider your debt paid in full.”   

The older man visibly relaxed.  It was not an easy thing, owing someone like Gold a favor. Never knowing when or how he would come to collect weighed heavily on the soul.  Emma was quite eager to clear the books herself.  Then she would never have to see him or his son ever again. 

The late summer air was quite cool this time of night and she shivered slightly in the breeze.  Thankful for her red leather jacket, she walked briskly past her two partners in crime and headed in the direction of her yellow car.

“You’re still driving the Bug?” Neal asked softly behind her.

Emma sighed and turned around slowly but avoided his eyes.  “It’s a decent car and I can’t spare the funds for another.”

“Bullshit,” he replied.  “You could have sold it years ago and bought or stole yourself something better.  We lived in that car for months, Emma!  You and me!  You still think of it as home, don’t you?”

“Like Hell I do!”  Emma hated feeling out of control.  Unfortunately, the man in front of her had always somehow managed to tear down her walls, leaving her exposed and vulnerable.  “I keep it around as a reminder of what happens when you let someone get too close.  And I’ll never make that mistake again!”

“Is that why your adopted son calls you Emma and not Mom?  Are you afraid to let _him_ in too?”

Emma clenched her fists tightly and drew her arm back.  Before she had a chance to throw the punch, however, Gold suddenly appeared between them, blocking her shot. 

“Son,” interjected Mr. Gold delicately.  “Why don’t you bring the car around for me, all right?  It’s been a long day and my leg can’t take much more walking.”

Neal had always been one to wear his heart on his sleeve.  In the instant before he reluctantly walked away, his soulful eyes showed a combination of anger, shame, longing and regret.  Emma’s own eyes grew damp and her throat constricted painfully.  She turned her back on the men and breathed in deeply, trying to regain some semblance of composure.

“You can’t keep punishing him forever, you know,” Gold remarked quietly.

“I went to prison because of him!” she whispered vehemently.  “It’s no different than you hating Regina!”

“No, dear,” he replied gently but insistently.  “The two instances are nothing alike.  Regina betrayed me.  Bae simply got away when you didn’t.  Not a day goes by that he doesn’t hate himself for what happened.  But you and I both know that if he _had_ tried to rescue you, you both would have ended up in far worse trouble.  You received 11 months.  That’s nothing compared to the ten years he would have gotten had he punched an officer and helped a detainee escape police custody.”

Tears now flowed freely down her cold cheeks.  “He never even showed up at court to help me.”

“He was a wanted man, dear.  He couldn’t just walk into a court of law and expect to leave peacefully.  Canada was his only option at the time.  He did send you the car, though.”  Gold’s hand hesitated slightly before he carefully laid it on her shoulder.  His voice grew low and hoarse, as if he too was trying to regain his self-control.   “I understand why you gave up your child.  You wanted Henry to have his best chance at life and you thought that Bae had abandoned you.  Just know that he never meant to hurt you.”

She fiercely swiped at her tears with the back of her hand.  “And he never will again, Gold.  See you at the meet in Connecticut.”


	8. Gold's Eleven

Mary Margaret Blanchard had never held a paying job in her life.  That’s not to say she has never worked, however.  Far from it.  She had once been the heiress to Fairest Inc., the internationally acclaimed manufacturer of high end beauty products that had employed over twenty thousand people at its peak.  While she had never held a formal title at the firm, she had been the unofficial face of the company since she was a teenager.  This position required her to socialize with the upper echelons of society across the globe and entertain her father’s extensive list of business associates on a regular basis. 

If there was one thing she excelled at, it was hosting a gathering.

She nervously smoothed the invisible creases in her conservative knee length skirt and fumbled with the clasps on her jewelry.  This was the first time she was hosting a party since her fall from grace and she wanted everything to be perfect. 

The fact that she was going to be entertaining ten criminals only added to her growing anxiety.  How did one behave around con-men?  Should she act confident and suave or demure and invisible? 

“There isn’t going to be a photo-op for the tabloids, dearie,” said Mr. Gold, looking up from his newspaper.  “There is no need to impress anyone.”

“Easy for you to say,” she replied, looking at him critically from head to toe.  “You’re always impeccably dressed.  I need your opinion; top button or no top button?”

“If you’re planning on stealing someone’s wallet I would go for no top button,” suggested Neal looking slyly at his father.  “Some men are easily distracted, I’m told.”

Gold rolled his eyes at his son.  “I think I hear some of our guests arriving.  Why don’t the two of you show them into the gardens and start pouring drinks.”

Mary Margaret graciously welcomed them to her home as they arrived one by one, guiding them to the softly lit back terrace that overlooked the gently crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean.  The caterers had put together a lovely spread of hors d’oeuvres and canapés while Neal had set up a bar featuring several types of hard liquor and various brands of beer. Classical music gently pumped out of hidden speakers and twinkling white lights glittered like thousands of fireflies in the night sky.

Everything was absolutely perfect!

“These are nice digs you got here, sister,” mumbled a short man she had been introduced to as Leroy, his mouth full of plump shrimp.  “The only thing missing is a pool.  I got some C4 in my trunk.  Just say the word and I’ll blow a hole in the backyard.  Save you a fortune in labor costs.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she replied, backing slowly away from him.  Good lord!  What did she get herself into?

She then collided with an elderly woman wearing a long golden chain with what looked to be a _dozen_ wedding bands around her neck.  “I’m so sorry, Mrs…?”

“Just call me Granny, girl.  Everyone else does.  I’ve gone through so many names in my life I’ve forgotten what my parents called me.” The older woman looked her over from head to toe.   “So…you’re the _Fairest of Them All_ , are you?”

Mary Margaret felt her face flush in embarrassment.   She shook her head and looked down at her shoes nervously.  “No, I’m not.  That’s just some silly moniker the media gave me years ago.”

“Nonsense!  I used to read all about you in those rumor magazines at the hair salon.  You were prettier than any of your company’s models, especially your witch of a step-mother!  They were right when they said Regina should retire as the face of Fairest and let you become the spokesperson.”

“Oh my goodness!” added a tall girl with long dark brown tresses, Ruby she thought.   “When you had your nervous breakdown and chopped off all your gorgeous hair I thought I would die!  It was on the news for weeks!”

“I was drugged,” interjected Mary Margaret, trying to regain control of the conversation.  “Someone slipped me a poisonous combination of anti-psychotics.  It made me a little crazy.”

“Is that how you got that nickname?” asked Leroy, downing his second glass of whiskey in one gulp.  “Something about you being nuttier than peanut M&M’s?”

“Okay! That’s enough of that,” interrupted Neal, tactfully handing her a glass of champagne and a lifeline. He placed his hand on her lower back and guided her towards the buffet.  “Mary Margaret, may I speak to you privately for a moment?”

He steered her away from the guests and bad memories and lowered his voice.  “Sorry about that.  I’ll talk to them.  It was so long ago and I didn’t think anyone would bring it up.”

“No, it’s alright.  I guess you can’t run away from your past,” she said sadly.  “It always finds a way to catch up to you.”

“Yeah, speaking of which…” Neal looked over at the patio door as a beautiful blonde woman and a kid stepped out onto the terrace.  “That’s my ex-girlfriend and love of my life over there.  She _really_ doesn’t want to be around me so could you hang out with her, maybe?  Keep her company?”

“Of course,” she replied, thankful to have something to keep her mind off her own troubles.  “Is that her son?”

“Adopted him two years ago apparently,” Neal shrugged.  “I don’t know too much about him except he loves comic books.  Let’s get you introduced.”

As Mary Margaret approached the new arrivals she noticed the rising tension emanating between Emma Swan and Neal Cassidy was palpable.  Her posture became as rigid as a pole and she placed a protective arm around her son.  Neal, on the other hand, began to fidget and tried to covertly swipe his sweaty palms on his jeans.

“Hey, Henry,” Neal said, shooting quick glances at the boy’s mother.  “I’m glad you guys could make it.  Uh…This is Mary Margaret Blanchard.  She owns this house and she’s our bankroller.”

Emma’s eyebrows shot up at the mention of her name.  “Wow.  It’s not every day you get to meet a celebrity.  Nice to meet you.”

“A celebrity?” asked Henry.  “Like an actress?  What are you famous for?”

“For getting a haircut,” replied a rather dashing man wearing an elaborate cravat.  Jefferson, she thought.  He winked slyly at her as he drew near. 

Henry scrunched up his face and looked puzzled.  “That’s it?  That doesn’t seem too bad.”

“It was _very_ short,” replied Jefferson.  He turned his attention to the blonde and bowed deeply, bringing her knuckles to his lips for a chaste kiss.  “Emma, darling, it’s been too long!”

Beside her, Neal groaned and rolled his eyes.  Jefferson seemed to brighten at the other man’s reaction.  “And I see you have a new addition to your family.  My Grace is about the same age as your young man.  Perhaps we could all get together for a little ‘play-date’ when all this madness is over.”

“Why settle for that when we could have a _real_ date?” asked a scruffy man in a black leather jacket.  “August W. Booth, at your service.”

“Really?” asked Emma.  “With the middle initial?”

“The ‘W’ stands for wasted,” said Neal dryly, “which is how he spends most days.”

“It’s actually Wayne, although I have been known to enjoy a drink every now and then.  How about it?  Would you like to join me sometime?”

“If you don’t I will!” said Granny.  Mary Margaret stifled a laugh when she realized Granny was blatantly admiring Mr. Booth’s behind.  She had to admit, it was quite the view.

“Sounds great, August,” said Neal enthusiastically.  “I would love to see you as lucky husband number 13.  Ten to one odds say he doesn’t live for more than 2 years!”

“No bet!” laughed Emma.  “She’d wear him out in less than one.  Wouldn’t you, Granny?”

The two ladies embraced warmly like close family.  Mary Margaret was beginning to feel out of place in her own backyard!  She backed away from the group of old friends and made her way over to the bar to fix herself another drink.  

“I guess it’s true what they say,” said Ruby somberly, grabbing a beer from the cooler.  “Blondes really do have more fun.”

“It certainly seems that way sometimes, doesn’t it?”  They watched in bewilderment as the three men continued to fight for Emma’s attention, although Mary Margaret couldn’t help but think that August and Jefferson were more interested in irritating Neal than actually winning the young woman’s favor.

Granny, meanwhile, seemed absolutely fascinated by Henry.  She grabbed his poor face between her firm hands and squished it as she turned it this way and that, studying it closely.  After a few minutes, she smiled brightly and kissed his forehead, leaving behind a pink lip imprint on his skin.  She sent Emma a thumbs up.

“I haven’t seen Granny look so happy since her tenth husband died,” said a red-headed man in a trench-coat and carrying an umbrella.  “Hey, Ruby.”

“Archie!”  Ruby launched herself around his neck and gave his rapidly reddening cheek a quick peck.  “I heard you moved out!  Way to finally cut the umbilical cord!  So how do you like living on your own?”

He looked down sheepishly and pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose.  “Oh, well…it’s nice I guess.  It can be a bit lonesome at times though.”

“Hmm.  Perhaps I can help.”  She reached up to straighten his tie and affectionately smoothed it over his chest.  “It just so happens that I know of someone very warm and cuddly who would love to snuggle up next to you every night.” 

Archie’s face flushed so deeply you couldn’t tell where his skin ended and his hair began.  He looked at Ruby with such longing that Mary Margaret felt she was intruding on a truly personal moment.

“Her name is Pongo and she is the most beautiful Dalmatian you have ever seen!” she finished, much to Archie’s dismay.  “You should really think about adopting her.  Walking a dog would make a great cover when you’re on the job.”

Mary Margaret cleared her throat loudly to ease the tension.  “Excuse me, Archie, but we haven’t been officially introduced.  I’m Mary Margaret Blanchard.  May I take your coat and umbrella?”

He shook her hand warmly but tucked his umbrella under his arm.  “Archie Hopper.  If it’s all the same to you I’d rather keep this with me.  It’s kind of my lucky charm.”

“It’s all part of his gameplay,” explained Ruby slyly.  “Give her a demonstration.  You can do me if you want.”

Poor Archie’s face was now scarlet but he shook out his arms and flexed his neck, like an athlete readying to compete. 

“How do you do, Miss Lucas?” he asked, taking her hand in both of his.  He leaned in for a hug and lingered just slightly longer than normal.  When he pulled away, he smiled brightly at Mary Margaret.  “There!  How was that?”

“Um…what exactly did you do?”

“Hold out your hands.”  He tipped his umbrella upside down and out tumbled earrings, a necklace, two bracelets, and a watch.

“No one ever thinks to look inside an umbrella.  It’s the perfect place to drop my assets.”

“Archie is one of the best pickpockets in the country!  There’s nothing he can’t lift!”

Mary Margaret unconsciously reached for her mother’s necklace around her neck and sighed in relief when she still felt it there.  She would definitely have to be careful around her new business associates.

Checking her watch, which fortunately was still around her wrist, she thought it was time to get Mr. Gold outside to finally greet his guests.  Although all her instincts told her Mr. Gold is a bad man, she couldn’t help but trust him. 

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, after all. 

Leaving Ruby and her love sick puppy behind, Mary Margaret climbed the stone steps to her patio door.  She could hear Mr. Gold’s Scottish brogue clearly through the glass.  Their last guest must have finally arrived. 

Hoping fiercely that the new arrival wasn’t another oddball like Leroy, she slid open the door and walked straight into one of her dreams.

Could it be? 

“Is it really you?” she asked breathlessly.

“Mary Margaret,” he replied disbelievingly.  “I never thought I’d see you again!”

“Oh,” said Mr. Gold casually, with a smirk.  “Do you know David?  What a lovely coincidence.”

“Yes!  We once…” she faltered.  “I’m sorry. I don’t understand.  What did you call him?  His name is James.”

The young man looked down at his feet and ran his hand across the back of his neck.  “It’s David, actually. I’m kind of a…a con-artist.”

He looked up sheepishly, just in time to see her fist flying towards his face.

 

 


	9. The Plan

David Nolan pulled up to the small, ocean front house and rubbed his eyes tiredly.  It had already been a long week and now that the team was assembling tonight, there would be no slowing down.   

The morning after Mr. Gold’s visit, he had packed up his few belongings and drove to the sea side town of Storybrooke.  Once there, it was an easy matter to charm the Casino’s Human Resource Manager into hiring him on full time as a Blackjack dealer. 

He didn’t even have to use one of his many other fake id’s; his current alias of James Prince had a flawless background with the added benefit of Casino experience.  It would seem that Mr. Gold’s timing, as always, had been perfect.

He walked up the stone path through the sprawling garden and rang the bell.  Speak of the Devil and he shall appear!  Mr. Gold answered the door himself, dressed in an expensive black suit, accentuated with red tie and matching handkerchief.  If his cane had been a pitchfork he could have been mistaken for Satan himself.

“Good evening, David,” he said with his signature smirk.  “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

David reached into his flannel shirt pocket and pulled out a memory stick.  “You mean it’s a pleasure to see this?”

“Well done!” Mr. Gold smiled brightly, taking the precious object from his hand.  “Did you have any trouble acquiring it?”

“The woman guarding it was definitely a spitfire, but I was able to distract her long enough to complete my task.”  He rolled his eyes at the older man.  “I have to take the old dragon out to dinner sometime next week.”

“Ah!  I do believe the term is _Cougar_.  Take her someplace nice and we’ll add it to the overhead expenses.  Our bankroller is quite generous.”

He looked around the small but elegantly furnished room in appreciation.  It was a beautiful house.  It was the kind of home he planned on having once he finally retired from the con game. 

“You are the last to arrive,” said Mr. Gold, placing the memory card in his own pocket.  “I think it’s time for us to get this meeting started, don’t you?”

They headed down the softly lit hallway towards the back of the house.  A slight figure entered through the glass patio doors and almost collided straight into him.  He looked down in astonishment as he realized the young woman’s face was one he had been dreaming about for months.

“Is it really you?” she asked breathlessly.

“Mary Margaret,” he replied disbelievingly.  “I never thought I’d see you again!”

“Oh,” said Mr. Gold, a little too casually for his liking.  “Do you know David?  What a lovely coincidence.”

“Yes!  We once…” she faltered.  “I’m sorry. I don’t understand.  What did you call him?  His name is James.”

He looked down at his feet and ran his hand across the back of his neck.  “It’s David, actually. I’m kind of a…a con-artist.”

He looked up guiltily, just in time to see her fist flying towards his face.

For such a tiny thing, her punch popped a wallop.  He staggered, leaning against the wall for support, stars shining in his eyes.

“Not the face, dearie.  We need his good looks as well as his charming personality to pull off this job.”  Mr. Gold gave him a steadying arm then patted him on the back sympathetically.  “I’ll give you two a few moments to catch up.”

“Mary Margaret,” David sputtered, not sure where to begin.  “I’m so sorry.  Just let me explain.”

She turned her back on him, leaning against the kitchen table.  When she spoke, her voice was cold and empty.  “What about your _fiancé_?  Does Kathryn know?  Does she have any idea who she’s really marrying?”

“I broke off the engagement soon after I met you.  I couldn’t go through with it.”

“Because you realized it was wrong to lie to her about who you are?”

“Because I couldn’t lie to _me_ anymore!”  He ran his hands through his hair.  Had it been long enough he would have pulled it.  “I kept telling myself that the marriage didn’t matter; that it was just a job.  But it wasn’t.  I didn’t want my marriage to not matter.  I may not be able to afford to quit the game just yet, but after meeting you…I realized that I _could_ afford to marry for love.  I couldn’t marry Kathryn, not even temporarily, when my heart clearly belongs to someone else.”

He reached out to tuck a tendril of hair behind her ear but she jerked away from his touch. “James, don’t.  It’s too painful.  I don’t even know you!”

“Everything I said to you the night we met was the truth.”

“Everything but your name and what you do for a living!  Who are you really?  Are you James or this David person?”

“I’m both!  Listen.  I’m betting that almost everyone in your back yard right now has gone by more than one name.  They are both.  We are both!  It’s just our names that have changed; not who we are inside.” 

Mary Margaret laughed humorlessly.  “I thought it was just my luck to finally meet my Prince Charming the night of that Charity Ball, only to find out he was already engaged. A successful, sophisticated businessman who helped out a damsel in distress when she was attacked by paparazzi; it seemed too good to be true!  Now I know you’re just some… scruffy looking scoundrel who probably thought that _Nutty M &M_ would make an easy mark!  All you had to do was gain my trust and then you’d have my trust fund.  Well it’s not going to work.”    

“Mary Margaret, you were never a mark,” he said softly, placing his hands on her shoulders.  “My name is really David Nolan and I grew up on a farm in the middle of nowhere, poor as poor can be.   I needed a way to help my family keep the farm.  That’s how I met Mr. Gold.  He gave me a small part to play in a con he was pulling and I never looked back.  I’m not ashamed of what I do; I’m able to support my mother so she doesn’t have to work her fingers to the bone anymore.  I may be a thief…but I am an honorable one.”

“The _honorable_ thing to do would have been _not_ to lead me on.  Or Kathryn.”

She stalked out the door and headed to the makeshift bar.  David followed her, hoping to get her to see reason.

“Good evening everyone,” said Mr. Gold, suddenly addressing the small crowd.  He looked calm, cool and collected; everything that David was not at the moment.

“Has everyone had enough to eat?” Gold looked over at his son, Neal, who currently had six jumbo shrimp sticking out of his mouth, apparently for the amusement of a young boy who grinned mischievously.

“Is everyone sober?” He looked over at Leroy who was slumped in a beach chair, an empty glass tipping precariously from his hand.  “Close enough.  No one here is on the line yet.  What I am about to propose to you is both highly lucrative and highly dangerous.  If that’s not your cup of tea, help yourself to as much food as you like; drive safely, no hard feelings.  Otherwise, please follow Miss Blanchard.”

Mary Margaret sent David a scathing look before marching back towards her patio door, a double Scotch in hand.  He watched as the guests filed into the house one by one, until there was only himself and two others left.

A man David did not recognize sat on a bench overlooking the crashing waves on the deserted beach.  The stranger did not look up as Mr. Gold ambled slowly towards him, his cane tapping rhythmically with his steps.

“You must be my son’s friend, August.  From Hawaii, right?”

August nodded in reply and took another drink of his beer.

“It’s nice there,” continued Mr. Gold quietly, always a dangerous sign.  “Do you like it?”

“Yeah,” replied the younger man.

“That’s wonderful.  Get in the God damn house.”

The young man exhale noisily as he got up from his seat and walked slowly to the entrance.  He stopped to grab another beer, saluting them with the bottle on the way.

“Arrogant jerk,” David commented once the man had disappeared through the sliding door.  “He deserves a punch in the face.”

“It’s almost as bad as falling in love in a love con.”  Mr. Gold shook his head, a slight grin tugging on his lips.  “Really, David, I thought I taught you better than that.”

“I told you already.  I never fell in love with Kathryn.”

“I never said you did.”  He patted David on the back and led him inside.

 

…

 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” began Mr. Gold, looking at his guests seated around Mary Margaret’s stylish living room.  “The four blocks of beautiful Atlantic coastline, otherwise known as the Storybrooke Casino, Hotel and Convention Center, is the most profitable casino east of Las Vegas.”

He nodded towards a young blonde David didn't know who immediately began typing on her laptop.  An image appeared on the large flat-screen television that hung above an ornate fireplace.  David instantly recognized the images as the data from the memory stick.

“This is the Vault.  It sits beneath 200 feet of solid earth and safeguards every dime that passes through the businesses above it.  And we’re going to rob it.”

From the sounds of impressed grunts around the room, David surmised that few members of the team had been aware of their target.

“This is courtesy of David Nolan, the new Blackjack Dealer at the casino,” Gold continued, nodding to him in thanks.  The computer generated map of the Casino’s secured areas flashed across the screen as he spoke.   “This place houses a security system that rivals most nuclear missile silos.  First, we need to get in the casino cages, which anyone will tell you takes more than a smile.  Next, through these doors, which takes a six digit code changed every 12 hours.  Past those, lies the elevator.  The elevators won’t move without authorized fingerprint identification…”

“Which we can’t fake,” added Neal

“And vocal confirmation from both the security system within the casino and the vault below,” continued Gold.

“Which we won’t get.”

“Furthermore, the elevator shaft is rigged with motion detectors.”

“Meaning if we were to manually override the lift,” explained Neal, “the shafts’ exits would lockdown automatically, and we’d be trapped.”

“Now once we get down the shaft though, it’s a piece of cake.  Just a couple of guards with machine guns and the most elaborate vault door ever conceived by man.”  Gold looked around the room, meeting ten pairs of wary eyes.  “Any questions?”

“Can’t we just dig a hole and blow it up?” asked Leroy gruffly.

“No, tunneling is out,” replied Neal.  “There are sensors monitoring the ground one hundred yards in every direction, meaning if a ground hog were to nest there, they’ll know about it.  Anyone else?”

Jefferson puffed out his cheeks in exasperation.  “You said something about good news?”

Mr. Gold smirked.  “The Gaming Commission states that a casino must have enough cash on hand to cover every chip in play.  Meaning on a weekday, by law, it must carry $50 to $60 million.  On a weekend, between $80 to 90 million.  On a fight night, like the night we’re going to rob it… $120 million without breaking a sweat.  There are eleven of us, all with an equal share.  You do the math.”

“What about me?” asked a little voice.

Gold smiled indulgently at the young boy.  “Henry, you’re ten.  You can share Emma’s take.”

“But I can help!” he insisted.

“I’m sure you can, lad.  I’ll tell you what.  If you can help us out then I’ll buy you a new bike.  Are we in agreement?”

“Make it a trip to Disney World and you got a deal.”

“I have a question,” said Granny, fingering the rings around her necklace.  “Say we get into the cage, and through the security doors there, and down the elevator we can’t move, and past the guards with the machine guns and into the vault we can’t open…”

“Without being seen by the cameras,” added Neal sheepishly.  “Sorry, we forgot to mention that part.”

“Yeah, well, say we do all that.  We’re just supposed to walk out of there with $120 million on us, without getting stopped?”

Every eye turned to Mr. Gold.  “Yeah,” he replied simply.

“Oh,” said Granny, removing a small bottle from her purse and taking a couple of pills.  “Okay, then.”

 


	10. The Casino

The day after the gathering at Mary Margaret’s, the team traveled several hours north until they reached the picturesque town of Storybrooke.  Nestled in a small bay, it was the perfect place for antiquing, trips to the beach, and an ideal getaway to save failing marriages; the bread and butter of the many bed and breakfasts that littered the hamlet. 

Regina’s casino was a fairly new but very profitable addition to the seaside town.  Its hotel boasted two hundred rooms, a luxury spa and state of the art convention center that was frequently used for concerts and shows. 

In three weeks’ time it would host a sold out televised boxing match featuring two of the biggest rivals the sport has ever seen.  It had been a great boon for Regina to be chosen to host the much anticipated fight as they were usually held in larger venues in Las Vegas or New York.       

“Just look at it,” spat Mary Margaret, wrapping her cardigan around her small frame at little more tightly to ward off the cool Atlantic breeze.  “That ultra-modern monstrosity has completely destroyed the charm of the beach!”

“It certainly doesn’t keep with the rustic esthetic of the town,” Mr. Gold agreed.

David removed his light coat and attempted to place it across Mary Margaret’s shoulders but she brushed it off and went to stand next to Emma, who seemed to be trying to avoid Neal like the plague.  He sighed dejectedly then addressed Gold.  “You know, I heard a very interesting rumor yesterday during my shift.  Apparently Regina was forced to hand over a very large bribe in order to get the rights for that boxing match.  The revenue gained from the publicity should more than make up for it.  But for arguments sake, if she were to lose $120 million in liquid assets in one night, it would seriously put a crimp in her cash flow.”

“So you’re saying she may lose the Casino?” asked Neal.

“Her insurance will cover the losses, but that takes time,” added Gold.  “There will have to be an investigation by both the police and the insurers.”

“Why do I have the feeling that you four are far more interested in taking her pride than taking her money?” asked Emma as she checked on Henry playing on the rocky beach.

“The money is our goal, dear.  Anything extra is a bonus.  Come.  Let’s meet the others at our headquarters.”

 

…

 

The twenty thousand square foot warehouse used to be a profitable cannery until a few too many poor fishing seasons forced the business to close.  The fact that a young mechanic had recently been murdered just outside the loading doors meant that Mr. Gold had managed to talk the rent down to practically nothing.

“It smells in here,” whined Jefferson, covering his face with his frilly cravat.  “Why can’t our base of operations be at the motel?”

“First of all, we don’t want to attract too much attention to ourselves.  This place is out of the main tourist flow so we should have adequate privacy.  Second, we require a great deal of storage space.”

“In order to accomplish our mission, we must be precise and prepared for anything.”  Neal looked around the room, meeting every set of eyes.  “Some of you will be given specific tasks; others will help out wherever possible until it’s time for their own cons.”

“Individual assignments first,” said Gold.  “Jefferson, you have one of the most important ones.  Construction.  We need a working replica of Regina’s vault.”

“For practice?” asked Jefferson, twirling his top hat absently around his finger.

“Not quite,” Gold replied, grinning mischievously at his son.  “Neal, Emma and I have managed to acquire the blueprints for you.  Once it is built it needs to be filled top to bottom with casino gaming chips.”

“Oh, is that all?  Do you know how difficult some of that stuff will be to find?” 

“Which is why I’m giving you two full weeks to complete your task.  It must be absolutely identical to hers.  Now off you go.”

Jefferson marched towards the doors, either for better cell phone reception or to escape the overwhelming stench of cod. 

“Next is power.  The night of the fight we need to pull the plug on Storybrooke.  Leroy, it’s your show.”

“Do you want broke, blown or absolute mayhem?”

“How about all three?”

“Done.  I’ll go through the sewers and blow out one of the main power conduits.  It’ll be hours before they get electricity flowing through those lines again.”

“Just remember, Leroy,” said Neal warningly.  “We’re cutting power, not blowing up mine shafts, ok?  We don’t need cars falling through a large crater in the street.”

“Keep talking to me like that, sister, and you’ll wake up to a stick of dynamite up your…”

“Assignment number three!” Gold hollered.  “Granny, we need you to go out of town and buy two cube vans, one black if possible.  If not we’ll have to paint it.”

Granny put aside her knitting and glowered at father and son.  “Why am I getting stuck with the crap job?  I may be old but I’m not useless.”

Gold walked over to his elderly step-mother and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek.  “You are far more useful than you can imagine, _Mum_.  But right now, I need you out of sight, and more importantly, out of that casino.  You are our secret weapon and we can’t have you recognized when the time comes, okay?  Besides, you can frighten a salesman far better than any of these youngsters.”

“That I can, Daniel.  All right.  But my part in this had better be huge!”

“My dear, your part in this mission is a matter of life and death!”

Mr. Gold turned to the rest of the group.  “The rest of you, go dress up, put on a disguise or two, and spend the next few days gambling.  Your task is surveillance.  I want to know the rotation of all the dealers, the path of every cash cart.  These casinos are built as labyrinths to keep people in.  I want you to find the quick ways out.  I want to know everything about every guard, every watcher, anyone with a security pass.  I want to know their names, their nicknames, and how they take their coffee.  Knowledge is power!  And we need to be the most powerful people in town.”

 

…

 

Mary Margaret was not comfortable with her new look.  In fact, she absolutely loathed it.

“Stop fiddling with your wig!” Ruby chastised her new friend while she added more black liner to her own eyes.

“I don’t know, Ruby,” she moaned, smoothing her new long locks once more.  “Why does it have to be blond?”

“Because the last thing you need is for Regina to recognize you,” said Emma, adjusting her now short black hair. 

“Besides,” added Ruby as she applied a thick coat of scarlet lipstick, “only I can pull off the red wig!  Okay ladies!  Lower those tops and hike up your skirts.  Lesson number one in being invisible: don’t be!  Men are creeps.  As long as their staring at your tits they’ll never remember your face.”

“That is definitely true!” said a male voice behind them.  “From here I can’t even tell which of you is Emma and which is Mary Margaret.”

“Hey!  Boys are not allowed in here!” cried Ruby as she threw a super-sized bottle of hairspray at August’s head.  “How did you even get in my room?”

“Flimsy locks,” he replied, his eyes wandering towards their enhanced cleavage.  “Mr. Gold wants us to arrive either individually or in groups of two to avoid suspicion.   I for one would love to walk in with a gorgeous lady on my arm.  Any takers?”

Neal and Archie suddenly filed into the small motel room and looked appraisingly at the group of young women.  “Wow,” said Neal, his brow narrowed in thought.  “You girls look…uh… different.”

“Different good, though, right?” asked Ruby, jutting out her hip provocatively.

He reached out and caressed Emma’s dark chin length locks.  “I think you girls looked perfect before.”

Emma leaned into the tender touch then quickly shook herself as if waking from a dream.  “You know what, Booth?  I’ve always had a thing for motorcycles.  I’ll ride with you.”

Neal looked crestfallen and kept his back turned until the couple had shut the door behind them.  Archie looked questioningly at his old friend then cleared his throat loudly.  “I think the redheads should stick together, don’t you Ruby?”

She playfully hooked her arm through the gentle pickpocket’s.  “Hell, yeah!  Red has cred!”

“I guess that just leaves the two of us,” said Mary Margaret.  It could be worse, she thought.  She could have ended up with Leroy. 

“Even as a blond you’re still the fairest of them all.”  He smiled sweetly at her and took her proffered arm.   “Come on.  Let’s go make Nolan extremely jealous.”

Mary Margaret brightened considerably at the thought.  “Can we gamble at his table too?”

“Sure thing, Princess.  Don’t forget.  This is all on your dime.”

 

…

 

They entered through the casino’s opulent glass domed foyer that prominently displayed a live tree bursting with ravishing red apples.  Mary Margaret shivered at the sight of it.  Her step-mother had always had an unnatural fondness for the hearty fruit. 

A uniformed bell hop bowed politely to them as they arrived onto the gaming floor.  Her head was immediately filled with the garish sounds of jingles and whistles, all designed to create an atmosphere of excitement. It was meant to trick the average gambler into thinking that everyone was a winner. 

They were only a lever pull away from winning it all.

The room was impossibly huge, made to look even larger thanks to the light sandy colored paint and full length mirrors that reflected everything two fold.  Everywhere she looked, lights flickered and sparkled.  The soft carpet was the color of fresh blood with beige geometric shapes dispersed throughout. 

It quickly gave her a headache.   

Neal suddenly surprised her by interlocking his fingers through her own.  “Relax, honey, and smile,” he whispered.  “We’re a couple visiting from Manhattan, hoping the salty New England air will revive our flatlining relationship.”

She had once been an internationally renowned model.  If there was one thing she knew how to do, it was smile.  “Anything else?”

“Yeah.  You find me incredibly funny, especially whenever we pass by Emma and August.”

She stifled a giggle and rolled her eyes instead.  “Anything I should know about staking out casinos?”

He put his arm around her shoulders and steered her away from the mirrored walls.  “Security is everywhere.  You never know where they could be hiding.  There are most likely hidden rooms with one way glass back there so avoid looking into it.  Those weird black balls on the ceiling?  State of the art video surveillance.  They can swirl 360 degrees and zoom in close enough to count the pores on your skin.”  He looked over his shoulder and squeezed her arm.  “I’ll be right back.”

Neal made a beeline for the platinum and glass bar in the center of the room.  Mary Margaret decided to put a few coins into a random slot machine so that she could covertly watch the passing of a large gold cash cart.  The employee pushing it was wearing a bright red blazer while the sharp eyed security guard who manned the locked door wore a simply cut black suit. 

“Certain employees have access cards to specific areas of the casino cages,” explained Neal as he handed her a frilly looking drink.  “Don’t worry, it’s a virgin.  We need to stay sharp while keeping up appearances.  As I was saying, Nolan can only get into the public areas.  We’ll need to get access another way.”

They spotted David dealing out cards to a full table.  He looked up briefly as they passed and quickly did a double take.  She found herself wondering if her disguise was good enough that he failed to immediately recognize her or he was just surprised to see her dressed like a high class call girl with Neal’s arm wrapped around her possessively.  For a second there it looked like he was frowning.  It was so wrong that that made her stomach flutter.

“The guards are switching shifts,” said Neal, rousing her from her meandering thoughts.  He checked his watch to take note of the time.  “They went in at 9:46.”

“9:48, Cassidy,” said August as he and Emma passed by, going the opposite direction.  “Get a watch that works!”

Neal and Emma both looked over their shoulders at the same time, catching the other watching.  Mary Margaret could definitely empathize with her new friends.  “Where’s Henry tonight?”

“My dad’s watching him for Emma.  He can’t risk coming into the casino right now.  A man of his age with a cane is too noticeable and we can’t afford to have Regina spot him.”

His cane.  Of course.  It was so easy to forget his disability because he always had the air of power about him.  “If you don’t mind me asking, how _did_ your father hurt his leg?”

Neal took a drink of his ginger ale on the rocks and frowned.  “I was fourteen.  Dad and I were doing alright, getting by on small cons and lifting wallets, but he wanted a better life for me.  He didn’t want me to become like him.  That’s why he got involved with some big shot crime boss named Zoso who made him all sorts of promises.  He thought that if he had more power and prestige within the underworld then I could get out of the con game, go to a good school, have a stable home.”

“So what went wrong?”

“Zoso set him up to take a fall when things took a turn for the worse.  You have to understand there was a war going on; a mob war against rival families.  Dad was beaten pretty bad and his knee shattered to send his people a message.  He ended up in a hospital for six months and I got put into the system.  It was a couple of years before he was able to find me and get me back.”

“I’m so sorry, Neal,” she said as she rubbed his back sympathetically.  “It must have been really hard.”

“You have no idea,” he mumbled.  “Apparently Mother Superior wanted to make an example of dad and made it almost impossible for him to find me.  She kept me away from him out of pure spite and righteous indignation.”

“Is that where you met Emma?  While in a group home?”

Neal smiled brilliantly, all traces of melancholy gone.  “Nah.  When I was eighteen I decided to do a little travelling, conning my way across the country.  She stole a car that I had rightfully stolen first.  She didn’t notice me sleeping in the backseat.  We hit it off pretty quickly, had ourselves a little Bonnie and Clyde adventure, minus the guns.  Some of my happiest memories took place in that yellow Bug.”

They were silent for a while after that, walking around the slot machines like a couple of bored tourists.  When Neal finally did speak, his voice was low and serious.  “Do me a favor, okay?”

“Of course, Neal.  Name it.”

“Ease up on Nolan a bit.  There’s nothing worse than having to work alongside the love of your life when it’s not reciprocated.  Okay?”

She hung her head down and nodded solemnly.  The problem was, it _was_ reciprocated.  She just couldn’t trust that his feelings were real.

She cleared her throat loudly.  “There goes another cash cart.  Make note of the time.”

 

...

 

The teams went back to the casino several times over the next several days.  They went at different times, arrived in different groups and went through more makeup and wardrobe changes than a Broadway play!

Emma, Ruby and Mary Margaret were there now under the guise of a girl’s night out while David was working another shift at the tables.  Mr. Gold was below the quiet streets of Storybrooke, wanting to check on Leroy’s progress with the explosives himself.  Jefferson and August were picking up a delivery of metal shelving, Granny was still in Boston getting the vans and Archie was tailing a mark. 

Neal could not figure out how he had ended up with babysitting duty.

Not that anything was wrong with him.  As far as kids went, Henry was sneaky, inquisitive and funny. 

He reminded Neal of himself sometimes.

The two were stretched out on Neal’s bed going through a large collection of comic books when the call came. 

“Neal!  It’s Archie.  I’m in a bit of a bind and I need your help.”

“Are you alright?  Have you been spotted?”

“I’m at the hotel’s restaurant.  My mark has been here for hours with his back to the wall.  There’s no way I can get to him and Gold needs this guy’s ID card to make duplicates.  I could use a distraction.”

Neal bit hard on his lower lip.  He couldn’t leave Henry alone but neither could he let the mark get away.  They needed to have passable ID cards to fool security on their next task.  David’s card is different from those of the guards.

“Henry!” he called across the room.  “Are you up for an assignment?”

“Of course I am!” he cried, leaping off the bed.  “You gotta use me!  Let me help!”

Neal smiled and ruffled the kid’s hair.  “Don’t worry, Archie.  Help is on the way.”

He turned toward the young eager face and licked his lips.  “If you’re going to do this you cannot tell Emma, all right?  This is a little con that Granny taught my dad, and my dad taught me.  Now I’m going to teach it to you.”

 

…

 

The bar at the softly lit restaurant was cozy and romantic, the drinks strong and view of the Atlantic impressive.   In other words, it was the perfect place to seduce neglected wives as their husbands gambled away their hard earned money.

Killian Jones was in his element!  Nothing was more exciting to him than taking another man’s wife.

He had been beguiling this one lass for a couple of hours now, plying her with the best Rums and bestowing her with his most roguish grin.  She was hooked.

“Tell me again, love, why do you put up with your husband…what was his name?  Phillip?  …going off on these business trips with his assistant?  If you were mine I would never leave your side.”

“I trust Philip.  I do!” moaned Aurora, her words slurring slightly from alcohol.  She was definitely tipsy but not quite drunk yet.  Jones signaled for another round of rum.  “It’s _her_ I don’t trust.  Mulan!  She’s obviously in love with him.  Plus she’s Asian!  How can I compete with that?”

“You deserve better than this, love.”  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and whispered seductively in her ear.  “You know what you need?  You need your own little adventure.  I have a ship out on the docks.  Come sail with me beneath the heavens tonight.  You’ll feel better in the morning.  I guarantee it.”

He placed his other hand on her knee and was slowly starting to move north when he felt a gentle tug on his shirt.  He looked over to find a dark haired kid staring at him. 

“What?” he snapped.  “Can’t you see I’m a little busy over here?”

 “Dad,” said the kid.  “Mom says you need to come home tonight.  You have responsibilities.”

Aurora’s head snapped up, all signs of intoxication suddenly gone.  Jones growled low in his throat.  “What the hell are you talking about, kid?  Go away!”

“You’re married?” she asked. 

“No, the kid is obviously lying.”

“Dad!” the kid whined.  “There’s nothing to eat in the house and you promised you’d bring home food this time.  We’re so hungry!  Please don’t tell me you drank away the grocery money again.”

“You’re not the person I thought you were, Killian!  How dare you treat your family that way!”

“He’s lying, love.  Honestly!  This isn’t my kid!”

“Oh, Dad!  How could you?” cried the little boy, running away.

The young woman tossed her drink into Killian’s face and stomped away.  She caught up to the young lad and handed him something.  

Killian wiped his face with a napkin, and tossed a few bills on the counter.  Every nerve in his body screamed at him to hunt down this kid and skin him alive.  There was no sense in sticking around now.  Every other do-able woman had just seen him humiliated.  So much for getting laid tonight! 

He got up from his favorite stool and made his to the exit.  Perhaps he could tempt Regina into another desk side romp.  Suddenly he collided with a middle aged red-headed man carrying an umbrella.  What did he need an umbrella for?  It was clear skies tonight.

“Even gutter rats have more manners than you’ve just displayed!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, sir,” said the older man, his head bowed.  “My apologies.” 

 

… 

 

“Did you get it?” asked Neal, seated in the hotel lobby.

“Of course I did!” replied Archie.  “Thanks for the help.  I didn’t think he would ever leave.”

“You did great, kid,” said Neal, ruffling Henry’s hair.  “Nice touch with the tears.  Even I believed you!”

“Thanks, Neal,” replied Henry.  “That lady even gave me twenty bucks to buy my family something to eat.”

“You wouldn’t believe how many meals that trick has bought us over the years.  I was a natural.”  He checked his watch and sighed.  “We should get you back to the motel, kid.  If Emma notices you’re gone she’ll kill me, then you, then me again.”

Henry slipped his hand into Neal’s.  “Thanks again for letting me help.  It was fun.”

“Yeah, kid,” he said, giving the boy’s hand a squeeze.  “It was.”


	11. The Enchanted Forest

Mr. Gold painstakingly pored over dozens of pages of handwritten surveillance summaries, jotting down the most important details to organize for himself.  Some of the pages were quite legible and easy to follow, such as those written by Mary Margaret.  Others…not so much.

“August, next time just jot down your observations in the form of a list.  This reads more like a trashy detective’s novel!”

“Just being thorough,” he replied, scratching at his scruffy stubble.  “I can retype that for you if you’d like.”

“No, thank you, I can manage.” 

He set down his pen and rubbed his eyes tiredly.  For this to succeed he would have to work out the timing of every con perfectly.  The entire heist could be ruined by one unaccounted for guard!

“I believe it’s time for our next task,” he said, addressing the entire team.  “Security.  They have an eye and an ear on everything so we want an eye and an ear on them.  Emma?  How does it look?”

Emma was lounged on a rickety fold out chair, leaning back on its two rear legs.  Her feet were casually propped up on the lunch table with her computer over her lap.  “Well, it’s not the _least_ accessible system I’ve ever seen, but it’s pretty close.  I don’t suppose they have a Closed Circuit Feed I could tap into?”

Gold shook his head.  “No, I’m afraid not.”

She took a long swig of soda.  “Then it’s definitely a Black Bag job.  How many people have access to their system mainframe?”

“Besides Regina?” asked David while scarfing down some Chinese food before his next shift at the casino.  “Only one.  Sidney Glass, Head of Security, or as us hourly paid employees refer to him as, The Mirror.  If he’s not glued to the monitors, he’s hiding behind the mirrored walls spying.  He likes to watch.  It’s kind of creepy.”

“What do we know about him?” asked Gold as he reached for the inside man’s much larger collection of notes.  “Does he have any obvious weaknesses?”

“He’s super paranoid and a heavy drinker,” answered David easily.  “Spends most of his spare time at a strip club somewhere downtown.  I heard it’s a high end place called the _Enchanted Forest_.”

“Hey, I know that joint!”

 Ten sets of raised eyebrows looked up at Leroy.

“What are you all looking at?” he demanded, looking thoroughly uncomfortable.  “What I do on my own time is none of your business!  If I wanna go to a strip club then I damn well can!”

“What’s a strip club?” asked Henry, suddenly appearing behind them, surprising everyone.   Sometimes that child was just too quiet.

“It’s…uh…you see, Henry…sometimes, um…” sputtered Emma, looking around helplessly.

“Hey, kid!” called Neal, digging into his backpack.  “I picked us up a few more comic books when I was out.  Why don’t you come listen to some music on my phone over here and read them while we finish up our boring meeting, okay?”

“Cool!  Thanks a lot Neal!”  Henry ran over and eagerly took the new books and stuck the headphones into his ears.

Emma smiled hesitantly in their direction.  “Yeah, thanks Neal.”

Gold cleared his throat loudly.  “Now that _innocent_ ears are protected, go ahead Leroy.  What can you tell us about it?”

Leroy’s rough exterior softened and his features took on a far off, dreamy look.  “The Enchanted Forest is a magical place!  I’ve kind of started seeing one of the girls there after her shifts.  It’s sort of against the rules but she doesn’t care.  We’re in love!  Her name’s Astrid but on stage she goes by Nova, ’cause when her clothes come off, a Super Nova goes off in your…”

“Eww!” cried everybody at once. 

“God, I wish I was Henry right now,” moaned Emma, covering her ears.

“Thank you, Leroy.  That’s quite enough.  Give her a call.  Find out if she knows Glass, which girl is his favorite and when she works next.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

The following evening, the team was busily prepping for the task ahead.  Their goal was to distract Sidney Glass long enough for someone to _borrow_ his Level 1 Pass Card and bring it to the Casino.  Emma could then use it to gain access to the surveillance mainframe and hack into their system.  

Time was of the essence.  They had to return the card to Glass before he noticed or it could raise suspicions.

While the men were busy arguing over who got to go to the Enchanted Forest, Gold was at the motel helping a nervous Emma prepare for her role.

“Seriously?  A tie?” Emma groaned at the thin, black garment Gold held in his hand. 

“I didn’t make the dress code, dearie,” he replied dryly.  “Protocol states that all on-duty security personnel must wear ties, even the women.”

“It just seems rather sexist!  Do you have any idea how many major criminals I’ve taken down being a Bounty Hunter?  And not once did I wear a tie.”

He sighed resignedly.  “You have no idea how to knot one, do you?”

“Not a clue!” she said, her cheeks pinking slightly.  “Do you mind?”

Gold smirked as he tucked the tie underneath the collar of her white blouse and began to knot it.  “You never had to tie one for any of your boyfriends, Miss Swan?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a boyfriend who even owned a tie, to be honest.”  She fidgeted awkwardly as he finished the half-windsor knot.  “How about you?  Did any of your girlfriends fix your ties for you?”

His nimble fingers faltered on the knot as a sharp pain pierced his heart.  He swallowed hard.  “There was one, once.”

“What happened to her?” she asked quietly. 

“I lost her.  There’s nothing more to tell really.  That’s the thing about love, Miss Swan.  Love is like a delicate flame.  One wrong move and it can be snuffed out.”  He straightened the finished tie and adjusted it properly around her neck.   “I hear that my son has been spending a lot of time with Miss Blanchard lately.”

Emma shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. “Wow.  You really know how to take the focus off yourself, don’t you?”

“And you are quite good at deflecting,” he replied.  “Don’t let your pride get in the way of your feelings, Emma.  Because when that moment finally comes that you realize what it is you truly want, it may be too late.”

“We have a problem!” said David, marching into the room.  Leroy and Archie quickly followed behind him.

“Astrid just called,” explained Leroy.  “Glass’s favorite girl just took a bad fall off one of the poles.  She’s on her way to get her ankle x-raid.  She can’t work tonight.”

“Sidney is very particular about the type of woman he spends his time with,” added David.  “Apparently he has a thing for Regina, of all people!  He won’t stick around unless there’s a girl there that reminds him of her.”  

“I guess this means I can take this tie off then,” said Emma, looking relieved.

“Wait just a moment,” ordered Gold, running a hand over his face. “We may still be able to make this work.”

“How?” asked Archie.  “I can’t think of another place where we would have this opportunity.  If he’s not at the club then he’s at the Casino, and we can’t touch him there.”

“And there ain’t any other girls at the club that fit Regina’s description,” added Leroy.

“No,” said Gold, smirking.  “No, the Enchanted Forest may not have any…but _we_ do.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

“I can’t do this!” cried Mary Margaret, pacing back and forth in front of the full length mirror.  She couldn’t bear to look at her reflection.  The white feather costume she wore barely covered the essentials, while the three inch stiletto heels wobbled precariously underneath her. 

“I think you look wonderful!” said Astrid, wearing what looked to be a giant pink jellybean dress.  “Mr. Glass is going to love you!”

“As long as he doesn’t love too much of her,” said David dangerously from the door.  “I don’t like this plan at all.”

“She’ll do fine.  She won’t have to strip or dance, just sit on his lap and smile.”

“Smiling I can do,” said Mary Margaret to herself.

“He’ll identify her instantly!” insisted David.  “She has one of the most recognizable faces in the country!  Why can’t Ruby do this instead?”

“Because Ruby is busy tailing Regina for the next couple of days,” said Mr. Gold as he limped into the room.  “Besides, she doesn’t quite fit the bill.  Miss Blanchard, on the other hand, shares several distinguishable similarities with her step-mother.  She’s even wearing the same shade of lipstick.”

“Plus I have this white mask to hide her face,” added Astrid.  “He’ll never know it’s her.”

Gold walked the length of the room to stand next to Mary Margaret.  He kept his hands firmly on the top of his cane and his gaze met only her eyes, for which she was very grateful.  “I know this makes you uncomfortable, dearie, and I’m sorry about dragging you into this.  But it’s the only way.”

She nodded her understanding but didn’t reply.  Her nerves were too great to speak at the moment.

“As you know, the men were all eager to volunteer to come here,” continued Gold.  “I’ve assigned Archie to make the lift while David will watch over you to ensure your safety.  The others will not be around, much to their dismay.”

“Thank you, Mr. Gold,” she whispered.  She hated the thought of Leroy, Jefferson and August leering at her.  Even having her new friend Neal around would make her uncomfortable.  The fact that David would be nearby brought her some comfort.

“Will you be joining us this evening, Mr. Gold?” asked Astrid, smiling politely.

He cleared his throat loudly and…was that a blush?  “No, dearie.  I don’t think so.  There is only one woman that has my interest and she is not to be found here.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

The club was dimly lit and reeked of sweat and desperation.  Mary Margaret readjusted her mask hoping it would cover her face a bit more fully.  She could only imagine what the tabloids would say if she were recognized; _The Fairest of the All Bares All_ , most likely.

She plastered her famous smile on her face and did her best to saunter towards Astrid who spoke with a middle-aged dark skinned man in a gray suit.  She silently prayed that she wouldn’t trip over her own feet on the way, or worse, have her behind slapped by some drunkard.

“Mr. Glass, this is Candy,” crooned Astrid, now Nova, into his ear.

Sidney frowned into his whiskey.  “Where’s Karma?” he demanded.

“Karma’s having a bit of bad luck today,” said Mary Margaret in her most sultry voice.  “She thought you might like to spend some time with me instead.”

He looked at her appraisingly.  Leered, more like it.  His gaze lingered on the swell of her breasts and the dark red lipstick she knew had always been her step-mother’s favorite.

“She’ll do,” he murmured, tapping his free hand on his lap, inviting her to take a seat.  “Nova, sweetheart, could you bring me another drink?”

“I’ll let your waitress know right away,” said Astrid.  “I’m needed on stage.”  She gave Mary Margaret’s shoulder a quick reassuring squeeze before disappearing. 

“That’s an interesting perfume you’re wearing,” Glass said, nuzzling her neck. 

She saw David get up from his stool across the room.  He looked like he was wanted to cut the security man’s head off!  She raised a hand warningly in his direction.  She could handle this!

“It’s called Apple Blossom,” she murmured in his ear.  She may not be a professional con artist but she could pull the wool over this man’s eyes.  She grew up idolizing her step-mother and learned a few tricks along the way.  “I find there’s something very…sensuous…about forbidden fruit, don’t you?”

She snuck her tiny hand in between the buttons of his silk shirt and caressed his chest.  He shivered at her touch and never noticed Archie’s nimble fingers as they dipped inside his jacket pocket.

He nodded to David and made his way toward the exit where he could then rush the Pass Card to Emma.  Hopefully hacking into the casino’s state of the art surveillance system wouldn’t take too long! 

She snuggled into Glass’s lap and made herself comfortable.  For the next hour her only task was to keep him from leaving.  When she was done she would treat herself to a scalding hot bath and a bottle or two of wine! 

Until then, she would just have to put up his presence and watch Leroy’s girlfriend as she tore off all her clothes while hanging upside down on a stripper pole.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Emma carefully pinned her altered ID card to her chest.  August had removed Killian Jones’s information and picture and expertly replaced it with her own.  Her new identity and credentials should easily fool other security personnel as long as they didn’t look too closely.  She readjusted her ear piece and microphone and tapped it discreetly.  “Gold, can you read me?”

“Yes, dearie, loud and clear,” came the quick reply.  His Scottish brogue seemed even thicker over the spyware.  “Are you ready?”

“Ready as ever, I guess.  Cue the distraction.”

“Good luck, Emma!” said Henry in her ear. 

She took a deep, calming breath and tried to relax her muscles.  This was the most dangerous part of her task.  If she was caught, she was done for.  Everything she had heard about this Regina woman was that she was as vindictive as she was ruthless. 

At least Henry would be taken care of if something were to happen to her.  He was safe at the motel sitting with his biological father and grandfather and didn’t even know it.  Gold would take care of him.  He didn’t seem the type to abandon family.

“Hatter.  Grumpy,” she heard Neal say in her earpiece.  “It’s time to party.”

Emma stood in a recessed alcove, giving her the perfect view of her target while remaining as inconspicuous as possible.  She saw Jefferson, dressed in one of his most elaborate suits, frilly cravat and top hat included, cross the busy casino floor carrying a dozen ‘Happy Birthday’ helium filled balloons.  They strained against the long cords but he held them tightly wrapped around his fist.

He disappeared from view but she easily followed his path by way of the balloons.  Right on cue, he stopped in the middle of the room.  Raised voices reached her ears despite the constant noise from the slot machine and gamblers.

“Hey!  Watch where you’re going, sister!”

“Who’re you calling ‘sister’, shorty?”

“You, sister, are wearing more eyeliner than a Showgirl!  And I should know!  I’m dating one!”

Jefferson shoved Leroy with all his might, but the short man was solidly built.  He didn’t budge.  When the push was reciprocated, however, Jefferson was thrown back and his precarious grip on the balloons was gone.  They sailed straight up the high ceiling to land directly around the round black camera.

For the next minute or so, security was blind in that small corner of the casino.

She waited with bated breath as the black suited man guarding the cage door pressed his finger to his ear.  He looked up at the ceiling and spoke into his microphone.  Nodding to himself, he left his post and made his way over to the unlikely pair now screaming obscenities at one another.

Her window of opportunity was open.  She walked swiftly by her co-conspirators and headed to the door.

“Gentlemen, I need you to remove your balloons immediately,” she heard the gruff man say to Jefferson.

“Ha!” cried Leroy, appearing extremely intoxicated.  Perhaps he was.  “You’re a balloon man!”

“I don’t have time for this,” said Jefferson.  “I’m late for a very important date!”

Emma removed Glass’s Level 1 Pass Card and carefully swiped it against the security pad.  The red light blinked to green and the unmistakable hiss of hydraulic locks being unhinged was heard.

She was in.

The hallway was brilliantly lit and painted shockingly bright white with black trees dispersed throughout.  It was like walking through some bizarre forest.  It looked like it was meant to be whimsical but instead gave her the creeps.

Yup.  This was probably going to give her nightmares for years to come.

She covertly looked down at her hand where she had hurriedly drawn a map of the labyrinth secured area.  The cameras in this section were fully functional and she had to be careful.  Any odd behavior could raise suspicions. 

Turning left then taking the next right, she found herself in a deserted hallway that seemed to hum all around her.  She must be close.  Verifying the room number once more from her hand, she checked it against the small engraved plaques attached to every door. 

There it was.  Holding her breath for luck, she swiped the Pass Card once more and waited. 

It too turned green.  She was in.

“I made it,” she wheezed into the communicator.  “It’ll take me a few minutes to find the right wires then we should be good to go.”

“Excellent, my dear,” said Mr. Gold.  “We’ll let you know as soon as we have a visual.”

Emma quickly searched through the dozens of terminals until she found the correct one.  Digging into her pocket, she withdrew a small electronic device and got to work.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Seated comfortably in his motel room, Gold waited impatiently for Emma to pull off the impossible.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Gold,” said Henry, looking up from another comic book.  “If anyone can pull this off, it’s Emma.  She’s the best at everything!”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned about your mom, it’s never to underestimate her.” 

Gold studied Henry’s features closely, marveling at how much the young lad resembled his own son at that age, and wondered once again how Neal failed to see it!  Hopefully Emma would soon come clean and acknowledge the boy’s parentage. 

He wondered what it would be like to hear Henry call him Grandpa. 

“You know, Mr. Gold, I’ve been thinking,” said Henry thoughtfully.  “I was really good at helping Archie the other night.  And I want to do it again.  I want a part to play in the mission.”

He smiled indulgently at the ten year old and ruffled his hair affectionately.  Yes, there was absolutely no doubt that this child was related to him.  “We shall see, Henry.  You must know that this is very dangerous.  Everything in life comes with a price.  It would be a shame if you should have to pay it at such a young age.”

“I’m ten!  If I get caught, I say I snuck in on a dare!  What are they going to do to me, really?”

“What if they took you away from Emma?”

“How would they know who I am?  Again…I’m ten!  You could get Neal to come in with a fake ID and say he’s my father!  Just think about it.  I could be so useful and there’s no risk!  I’m tired of just reading about heroes.  I want to _be_ one.”

“Papa, the screens are up!” called Neal across the room.  Six computer screens burst into life as whatever technical magic Emma had conjured began to work.  Gold sat down next to his son and quickly assessed the situation. 

“We are good to go, Emma,” Neal said into the microphone.  “Now get out of there.”

“With pleasure!” she replied.

They watched silently as she expertly navigated the maze of corridors and exited through the same door from which she entered.  The guard paid her no mind.  His job was to keep people from going in, not checking who comes out.

“Contact Archie and tell him to meet up with her at the rendezvous point.  I’m sure Miss Blanchard is eager to get that card back.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Mary Margaret was ready to kill someone!

Not only did she have to endure the incessant petting from Sidney Glass as he became more and more inebriated, but she also had to put up with other men propositioning her every few minutes! 

The fact that she had been curled up on another man’s lap for the last hour did not seem to deter most of the drunks.  She would kindly decline, saying she was quite comfortable right where she was and that seemed to satisfy Sidney.

David, on the other hand, was looking more and more harried every moment.

“I know you’re new here and all,” slurred Glass, his fourth whiskey tipping precariously from his hand, “but I have a standing arrangement with Karma…off the books, so to speak.”  His other hand wandered upward until he cupped her heavily padded breast.  “I have a room at the inn next door.”

 _Uh oh!_ she thought.  _Where the Hell is Archie and that damn card?_

“I’m sorry, honey,” she said out loud as she slowly removed the offending hand, “but I’m not a full service kind of girl.  Maybe Nova could recommend someone for you.”

His eyes darkened dangerously.  Perhaps he was drunker than she had previously thought.  “I don’t want another girl.  I want you, Regina!”

“My name is Candy, remember?”  She looked around desperately but David was nowhere to be seen.  She was on her own.  “How about I get you some coffee, Mr. Glass?” 

He grabbed the back of her head and pushed her towards his face.  The heady scent of alcohol wafted over her, making her gag.  “How about you do your job?”

A pair of strong arms suddenly grasped her around the waist and picked her up off the man’s lap.  David, his features now covered by a baseball cap and pair of sunglasses, wasted no time in punching Sidney in the face.  Mr. Glass fell to the ground hard, too drunk to catch himself.  Archie bent down to check on the unconscious man and slipped the Pass Card into an empty pocket.

David quickly removed his jacket, wrapped it around Mary Margaret’s scantily clad body and scooped her up into his arms.  “Are you all right?” he asked as they raced out of the Enchanted Forest.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she replied, thankful to be out of the suffocating club and into his comforting arms.  “Thank you.  That was very charming of you.”

“It seemed like the honorable thing to do.”


	12. Regina

August fidgeted uncomfortably in his new black suit, tugging at the sleeves and pulling at his silk tie awkwardly.  “Is this really necessary?  I’ve never been this dressed up in my life!  I feel like an undertaker.”

“I assure you it is quite necessary, dearie,” replied Mr. Gold, handing the younger man a pair of black sunglasses and a radio ear piece.  “You are pretending to be a bodyguard, after all.  You must look the part.”

“I can’t believe you made me shave and get a haircut too,” he grumbled, walking away. 

“Danny!” moaned Jefferson as he exited the fitting room.  “This suit is appalling. It’s so plain and boring!  There are no frills, no vest, and the tie is just solid black!  I’ve never been this dressed down in my life!”

Storybrooke Formal Wear had closed early at Mr. Gold’s request so that members of his team could shop privately for their upcoming tasks.  The shop would make more money in the one hour they occupied it than it would all week. 

Unfortunately, neither Gold nor the owner had any idea it would be one of the most aggravating hours of their lives!

“I’ve just finished with your final associate, Mr. Gold,” said the tailor tiredly.   “She’s ready for your inspection and all of your other orders are pressed and ready to go.”

Gold sighed as he picked up his cane and limped to the women’s section.  His step-mother stared at her reflection in the three-way glass as she fingered the soft clothing between her fingertips.  She winced slightly and wobbled unsteadily in her heels as she clasped the pearl necklace around her throat.  A small pill bottle appeared in her hand and she quickly took two tablets, swallowing them dry while grasping lightly at her chest.

Granny must have heard the distinct tapping of his cane on the hardwood floors because she instantly straightened her posture and readjusted her expensive new outfit.

“You look lovely, Mum,” he said quietly, coming up behind her.  At closer inspection, Gold noted that her pallid skin had a slight sheen to it and her hands trembled faintly.

“Of course I do.  This is imported silk,” she said sardonically.  “It would make an ogre look good.”

He knew her well enough to know when she was nervous and he looked at her now with genuine concern.  “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

Granny stopped fiddling with her fresh salon hair-do and turned her stony gaze upon her step-son.  “If you ever ask me that question again, Daniel, you will not wake up the following morning!”

Gold smirked at her fiery spirit.  “You’re ready.  Do you have your backstory down?”

“Of course I do.”  She cleared her throat loudly and stared at the reflection in front of her.  “My name is Mrs. Olivia Lucas, widow to the late Kenneth Lucas and head of Lucas Weaponry, the number one manufacturer of crossbows and big-game hunting supplies in the Free World.”

“Excellent,” he said, smiling.  “Now let’s get your two idiot bodyguards so we can do this already.”

It was hard to believe how close he was to accomplishing his goal!  After years of waiting and planning, everything was finally coming into place. 

Soon he would get back everything that had been taken from him.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Neal and Ruby sat comfortably in the plush leather sofas of the opulent Hotel lobby as the finely dressed Mrs. Lucas and her entourage arrived.  August and Jefferson followed closely behind the fake businesswoman, laden down with Granny’s new set of matching Prada luggage.  Instead of designer clothing, however, the suitcases were filled with several computers, monitors and communication devices. 

“All right,” said Neal quietly behind the dreadful excuse of a local newspaper.  “Once they get set up in the Presidential Suite we’ll have a new base of operations right here in the Casino.” 

“And all under Regina’s nose too,” added Ruby smugly.

“Speaking of which…you’ve had a couple of days now to follow her around.  What can you tell me about Miss Mills?”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Regina Mills is a very slick, very well-oiled machine. 

While her lavishly decorated offices contain a personal en-suite apartment, complete with full wardrobe and several thousand dollars’ worth of jewelry, she spends most nights at her grand seaside mansion.  Pulling up in her spotless black stretch limousine, she arrives at the Hotel promptly at two o’clock every day. 

Her routine never wavers; same car, same driver, every time.

Appearances mean everything to her.  The instant that car door opens, she plasters her famous _Fairest_ smile on her face and walks confidently inside her little kingdom.

For in this building, Regina is Queen. 

Uniformity is the order of the day and she rules her realm with an iron fist.  Her micro-management style has earned her a reputation for being ruthless and impossible to please, but it had also brought her tremendous success in a very short amount of time.

Thanks to hard work, her successful stint as a world renowned model and the incredible inheritance left to her by her spineless late husband, Leo, by age forty Regina was one of the wealthiest women on the East coast. 

“Good afternoon, Shawn,” she said with forced pleasantness to her doorman.  She knew the name of every bellhop and valet in her employ; not bad for someone worth a quarter of a billion dollars.  “How’s the baby today?”

“Very well, Ms. Mills, thank you,” was the young man’s daily reply. 

It didn’t matter to her whether the baby really was in good health or if its teenaged parents, bot

h of whom worked tirelessly at the Hotel for minimum wage, had slept the night before.  She expected to hear that everything was well in the little Utopia she had created for herself.

“May I have a word, Regina?” asked Mal, her long time personal assistant, standing inside the lobby awaiting her arrival.  Mallory Draco was as intelligent and tenacious as Regina herself and was being groomed as her second in command.

Regina secretly mistrusted the blond spitfire but Mal was the closest thing she had to a friend in the world.  That doesn’t mean she wouldn’t throw said friend under a bus if it suited her.  Hell!  She would disown her parents if it meant gaining a few more points in her company’s stock prices.   

“Miss Ginger has registered another complaint regarding working conditions.  Apparently she finds the temperature too cold in her department.  Also, there was an incident in housekeeping that needs to be addressed.  One of the maids was fooled into letting someone into a guest’s room.  They gave her some sob story about being locked out and she used her master to open the door.  The guest has reported several items missing.”

Regina inwardly sighed but showed no sign of being annoyed at having to deal with such mundane incidents.  “Let me guess.  Miss Boyd again?”

“I’m afraid so,” replied Mal, bringing up the report on her smartphone.  “This is the second time she’s been reprimanded but has not once taken responsibility for her actions.  She’s always quick to throw the blame on someone else.”

“That girl is so dumb it’s a wonder her child hasn’t been taken away from her yet.   Disengage her master key and send her down to laundry.  This is her last chance.  If she turns the sheets pink she’s out of here.  I don’t care how dreadful she thinks her life is; I can make it so much worse.  I will not have my Hotel’s reputation ruined by her ineptitude.”

“Of course, Regina.” 

They walked into her spacious office that looked down upon the bustling Casino floor hidden behind a one-way glass.  She picked up a glossy red apple and rolled it between her hands.  “Anything else?”

“Sidney Glass arrived an hour ago sporting a black eye and a busted lip.  He claims it was from a card counter he threw out of the Casino last night but my spies informed me he was involved in another drunken brawl at a strip club; this time over a prostitute.”

Regina rolled her eyes.  “He may be a gullible fool but he’s loyal.  Send him to me later and I’ll kiss his wound all better.  That should keep him in line for a while.”

“I honestly do not understand how he still believes he has a chance with you.”

“Hope is a dangerous thing.  As long as I have his heart I can control him.”  She headed to her personal bar and poured herself a stiff drink.  “Love is weakness, my dear Mallory.  I thought you knew that.”

Mal shifted uncomfortably and busied herself with the paperwork currently piled on the mahogany desk.   Regina knew that her assistant secretly wished for love in her life.  Unfortunately, working at the Casino left her little time for romance.

“By the way,” she continued, after taking a sip of the amber liquid.  “How did your date go with our newest employee?  What was his name?”

Mal’s eyes rounded in surprise and Regina laughed openly.  “There are no secrets from me.  I have eyes and ears everywhere.  Come now, dear.  Details!”

Mal ran a hand through her long blond hair and sighed resignedly.  “James Prince.  He’s the new blackjack dealer and he took me out last week for our first and last dinner.  He was sweet, charming and a perfect gentleman.  He didn’t even try to kiss me.”

Regina sneered and took another drink.  “Sounds like a waste of a night to me.”

“I suppose I’m just cursed to live my life alone.  Perhaps I’ll get a pet.”

“I have several pets and I enjoy keeping them all on a short leash,” she winked conspiratorially at her friend.  “It’s much more fun that way.”

“Speaking of which...it’s time for your weekly _meeting_ with the Casino Manager.”

Regina smiled brightly and removed a tube of dark lipstick.  She applied it thickly and smacked her plump lips together.  “Excellent.  Tell Gaston to meet me in my quarters this time.  Last week his little girlfriend almost walked in on us when she brought me some requisition forms to sign.”

Mal shook her head and rolled her eyes.  “Why do you care if she finds out?  If anything I’m surprised you haven’t arranged for her to walk in on you on purpose!  God knows I’ve done it enough.  It’s not like you to willingly share your toys with others.”

Regina laughed disdainfully.  “I have my reasons.  If it wasn’t so funny… I’d say it was almost cruel.”

She stepped past her assistant and made her way across the room to her private apartment’s hidden entrance.  “Hold my calls for the next hour or so.  Gaston and I have a lot of _hard_ work to get to.”

…

Once her weekly appointment came to a satisfying finish, Regina immersed herself in the daily bureaucracy of running a multi-million dollar organization. 

There was so much more to her business than simply the Casino.  While the bulk of her profits came from gambling, she also had to ensure the success of the hotel, restaurant, spa, and convention center, as well as a few other small ventures that resided in the building. 

She wasn’t just running a corporation, after all.  She was ruling an Empire!

At precisely seven o’clock on the dot every day, Regina steps on to the Casino floor.  She spends exactly three minutes talking with Gaston, all thoughts of their afternoon tryst long gone.  Now was all about business.

She likes to know everything that is going on in her casino.  There was rarely an incident she didn’t know about or handle personally. 

Sidney Glass sent her hourly updates on all security matters and was instructed to alert her immediately if anyone dared to start trouble.  Not that many do.  She has spent millions of dollars on the best electronic surveillance systems and personnel in the industry.  They were trained to detect trouble before it even began.

Next, Regina heads to the high-rollers’ tables.  She spends several minutes every evening glad-handling the richest and most influential people in the State.  Security cameras were also much more prominent in this section and not just because of the large amount of money being wagered. 

Knowledge is power and one never knew when a recording of high ranking government officials gambling away tax-payer funds could come in handy.

“District Attorney Spencer!” she crooned oily.  “How lovely to see you again.  And Governor Midas!  It’s always a pleasure.  If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

She strode over to the Captain of the security team standing guard at the velvet roped VIP entrance.  “How is Midas doing tonight, Jones?” she whispered.

“Up, almost two hundred thousand, love,” he replied, his voice low and throaty since it was just the two of them.

“He seems to have the golden touch tonight.  Keep a close watch on him.  Nobody is that lucky.  Have Glass contact me if there’s a problem.  I’ll be at the restaurant.”  She started to walk away when she suddenly turned back around, frowning.  “Why aren’t you wearing your ID Card, Jones?”

Killian turned slightly pink and cleared his throat loudly.  “It would appear I have misplaced it.  Human Resources is having another one made up for me today.”

“You probably left it under my bed again.”  Regina’s eyes raked across his lean body.  “Maybe you should stop by tonight and we can take a look for it.”

Jones eyes darkened with desire but he made no move to touch her.  Regina did not allow public displays of affection.  One never knew who was watching.  “I can think of better things to do with a woman on her knees than looking under a bed.”

Regina smiled wickedly.  “I believe I’ll skip dessert tonight.  Meet me upstairs in an hour.” 

 

~8~8~8~ 

 

“She’s out of the Casino by seven thirty every night when her assistant, a Miss Mallory Draco, hands her a black portfolio,” reported Ruby.

“Contents?” asked Neal.

“The day’s take and new security codes.  And five minutes after they’ve been changed she has them in her hand.”  Ruby quickly turned towards an elaborate stone fountain in the lobby to hide her face as Regina sauntered by on her way to the four star restaurant, oblivious to the young woman who had been trailing her for days.  “You know, your father really can pick them.”

“Yeah?  How so?”

“The last guy they caught cheating in here was a man named Michael Tillman.  Not only was he arrested, but Regina had his children taken away by Child Protective Services and had the bank foreclose his mechanic’s garage.  She doesn’t just take out your knees, she destroys everything and everyone you hold dear.”

“Are you scared?”

“Are you suicidal?”

Neal snorted.  “Now what?”

Ruby nodded her head towards the grand staircase a few feet away from where they were sitting.  “Now comes the girl.  She joins Regina and Gaston for a working dinner every night at the restaurant.”

“Where does she come from?”

“Upstairs.  She’s the curator for the museum.”

Neal looked up when he heard the soft clicking of high heels on the marble stairs.  From his vantage point, all he could see was a sexy pair of legs accentuated by strapless black shoes.  His gaze travelled up the fashionable blue sundress as it appeared in his line of sight before finally coming to rest on the woman’s face when she turned into the lobby.

Neal’s breath caught in his throat as he turned his head to hide it from view.  _Oh crap!_  

 “I don’t know if we can use her yet,” said Ruby, frowning at her friend with concern.  “In fact, I haven’t even gotten her name.”

“Belle,” he whispered hoarsely.

“Huh?”

“Belle,” he repeated, swallowing deeply.  He could feel the blood rush from his face and his hands shook involuntarily.  “Her name is Belle.”

“Whoa!” cried Ruby, shaking her head in confusion and pointing at the young woman’s back.  “You _know_ her?”

“Yeah.  She’s my step-mother.” 

 


	13. Belle

The construction of the duplicate vault was progressing nicely in the abandoned cannery.  Jefferson and August had done a decent job recreating every detail they could find on the stolen blueprints and hacked security recordings. 

The only thing missing was a hundred million dollars.

“I just got off the phone with Granny,” Emma said to Gold as she grabbed her jacket.  “They’re in the Hotel room and setting up the equipment.  I have to go help them connect all the wires.  Those guys are useless when it comes to technology.  I think August still uses a typewriter for goodness sakes!”

“Go ahead, dear,” he replied, opening up a box of poker chips.  They were not an exact match to Regina’s but they would suit their purposes.  “David is teaching Henry how to play blackjack.  He’ll be fine while you’re gone.”

She checked her watch and swore at the late hour.  “Make sure Henry eats something healthy for supper, will you?  Last time David watched him he ate nothing but cereal and drank coffee!”

Gold watched her fondly as she shrugged on her red leather coat and headed out the door.  She was starting to trust him and Neal with Henry more and more.  He could only hope that the truce between her and his son would grow into something more and they could finally have the family they all desperately wanted.

If nothing else good came out of this mission, he could rest easy knowing that he had at least given his son his best chance at righting some wrongs and finding happiness. 

Perhaps he would be given the same chance.

His head shot up at the sound of the heavy loading door being slammed shut.  Neal marched to his father’s side, hands trembling, and grabbed the box of gaming chips.  After tossing them onto the floor, he poked Gold hard in the chest. 

“We need to talk,” he grumbled quietly.  At his father’s questioning stare, he pointed his finger to the door and growled.  “Now!”

“What is it, son?” Gold asked once they were outside and safely out of earshot of the others. 

Neal paced the wharf agitatedly, running his hands through his slightly curly hair and pulling it at the roots.  “Tell me this is not about _her_!”  He looked down at the rolling Atlantic waves as the tide came crashing in, refusing to look at his father.  “Tell me this is not about her or I’m walking right now!”

“Who?” asked Gold.

“Belle!  That’s who.”

“Ah! _Her_ ,” he whispered gently.   “My wife.”

“Ex-wife!” Neal growled.  “Please tell me this has been about the money and not about her.”

“It’s not about her.”  He winced at the incredulous look his son threw his way and held his hands out in supplication.  “Okay.  It’s not…entirely about her.”

Neal snorted derisively and crossed his arms over his chest.  “Why didn’t you say something in the first place?  I love my step-mother, you know that!  Why keep this from me of all people?”

Gold sighed and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder.  “Because I was afraid.  I thought that if I voiced it out loud I would be setting myself up for failure and infinite disappointment.  Do you remember the first lesson I taught you when you were learning the con?”

“You told me to play the game like I had nothing to lose,” he replied sadly.

“Well I lost something.  And I’m not talking about my money or my home or even my freedom.  I lost _someone_.  That’s why I’m here.  I have lost so much that I have loved in my life…my parents, your mother, you _twice_ ; the first time when CPS took you away from me, the second when you were forced to flee to Canada.  And then I lost my precious Belle, my one True Love, and it almost killed me.”

Neal shook his head and sighed.  “You should have been honest with her.  She left because you lied.  You promised that you were done with that life; no more tricks, no more deals.  But you did it anyway.”

“To save you!  Don’t forget, you were the one to get in over your head and I had to come out of retirement to keep you safe.  Now I don’t regret that, Bae; not for a second.  That part of my life was indeed gone but you are my son, and I would do anything to protect you.  Even if it meant spending the rest of my life behind bars.  I just…I didn’t want her to worry about us.  I thought that I could take care of it without her having to find out.”

“Belle would have understood, Papa.  She’s a good person who always saw the good in you, especially when you couldn’t see it in yourself.  If you had just told her what you had to do in the first place she would have supported you.”

“I suppose I’ve always found it easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask permission.”  Gold shook his head sadly and sighed.  “Money can be replaced.  Possessions can be replaced.  True Love cannot and I refuse to give up on it.  I refuse to give up on her, son.”

Neal ran his hand over his mouth.  “Here’s the problem.  Now we’re stealing two things.  And when push comes to shove and you can’t have both, what are you going to choose?  And remember…Belle does not split 11 ways!”

“If everything goes according to plan, _I_ won’t be the one who has to make that choice.” 

 

~8~8~8~

 

Belle Gold pressed her palm against the electronic plate that scanned and analyzed her fingertips and punched in the six digit security number.  Once the computer was satisfied that she really was the museum’s caretaker, the hydraulic locks detached with a hiss and the heavy, bulletproof door slid slowly open to be hidden inside the tastefully decorated walls.

She smiled brightly when the spotlights engaged automatically, illuminating each priceless object and painting scattered about the large open room.  It wasn’t much…but it was all hers. 

Her employment choices had, unfortunately, been rather limited after the very public conviction of her husband.  No…ex-husband now, she reminded herself sadly. 

She had been forced to sell everything they owned, including their beloved Golden Antiques shop, just to pay his exorbitant lawyer fees.  People had no longer trusted her, believing that she would steal their precious treasures as soon as look at them.  It had been a devastating blow to her career, as well as her self-esteem.

Regina was the only one brave enough to take a chance on her.  She has been such an amazing friend these last couple of years, ever since Danny’s incarceration; always so encouraging and supportive! 

Belle had been astounded, to say the least, when Regina had given her the opportunity to not only manage the private collection, but also have a say in choosing what pieces were bought and displayed.  While this was Regina’s Casino and everything in it was bought with Regina’s fortune, the museum was essentially Belle’s to do with as she pleased.

It wasn’t the same as working in the shop.  She had loved working alongside _him_ , buying and restoring precious art and books while he dealt with the other antiques.  They had made an excellent team, both in their successful business and in their marriage. 

But that life was over now.

She had given serious thought to moving back to her native Australia, where news of her husband’s scandal would have gone unnoticed.  Unfortunately, the only family she had left was her father, and their relationship over the last decade was fickle at best. 

Moe French had not been pleased with his daughter’s decision to make a new life for herself in America, married to a former Master Thief no less.  He had always assumed she would stay home to take over the family flower business, Games of Thorns.

Moe had flown all the way to Boston to be with Belle during the trial, only to proudly announce ‘I told you so!’ once the conviction had been read.

She hadn’t spoken to him since.

At thirty-three years old she could count the number of people that mattered in her life on one hand.  While living in Storybrooke was not ideal, she at least had the loyal friendship and support of her boss, and the tentative romance with Gaston Chevalier. 

Gaston.  He had certainly taken her by surprise! 

She hadn’t had any desire to begin another relationship after her heartbreaking divorce and the brawny casino manager had certainly showed no interest in the shy bookworm that ran the small museum. 

Belle was ashamed to admit that when she had first met her handsome co-worker, she had wondered if he even knew how to _spell_ the word museum!

But then Regina had insisted the three of them have dinner every night to discuss the progress of their departments and she got to know him a bit better.  Regina apparently thought very highly of him, always praising his work ethic and regaling her with tales of his past good deeds.  Gaston had then started showing up at the gallery on his breaks, where he would stare at the paintings in silent contemplation, like he was trying to unlock their secrets. 

Sometimes he even brought along a cup of tea just for her. 

The fact that he knew exactly how she took her tea had left her speechless!  He didn’t drink the stuff himself, preferring energy drinks, which made the gesture all the more thoughtful.

She had gone out with him only at Regina’s insistence that it would do her some good.  They had struggled to find something to talk about the first date, which she chalked up to nerves.  By the second date, however, he had her thoroughly impressed by reciting one of her favorite poems and even quoting _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_!

During the times when she was completely honest with herself, she would admit she was slowly becoming smitten with him.

“Would the beautiful lady care for tea and some company?” asked a low voice behind her.

“Gaston!”  She threw her head back to look up at his tall physique and smiled at his unexpected appearance. 

He may not get her heart racing like the sound of a Scottish brogue, but she _was_ pleased to see him.  It was a start.  “It’s finally arrived!  Come take a look.”

She took him by the hand and led him through the gallery where a new arrival sat underneath two inches of bulletproof glass on a marble pedestal.   She had been searching for this particular item for over a year now.

“Well,” Belle asked, practically giddy with anticipation.  “Do you like it?”

“I like that you like it,” he replied diplomatically.

“Yes, but what do you think about it?”

“It’s…um…” he stammered.  He looked down at her tiny form quizzically.  “It’s a book.”

She rolled her eyes playfully.  “It’s not just _any_ book!  This is a copy of the extremely rare _First Folio: Comedies, Histories and Tragedies_!”

At his blank expression she added. “William Shakespeare!”

“Sweetheart,” he said slowly, “if you wanted a book on Shakespeare I’m sure I could have found you one on Amazon or eBay.”

She swallowed the bitter taste of disappointment.  Daniel would have understood immediately.  “Gaston…this book was published in 1623!  It’s a collection of his best works.  Only 750 copies were ever made and there are only a handful left in the entire world.  This book is worth _millions_!”

“Whoa!” He nodded his head in approval and took a swig of Red Bull.  “So… are there are some nice pictures in it or something?”

“No.  Most people use their imagination,” she replied dryly.

“I prefer TV,” he said dismissively.  “You get the same message ten times as quickly.”

Belle winced as though she had been slapped.  How could anyone choose TV over books?

“So the reason I’m here,” he continued nonchalantly, “is to see if we’re still on for tomorrow night.  I thought we could have a Sylvester Stallone movie marathon.  The more explosions the better!”

“Oh,” she replied hesitantly.  “I, uh, thought maybe we could go out for once.  You know…leave the Casino.”

Regina had given Belle her own suite in the hotel in which to live.  Her reasoning was that it would be easier for her to restart her life if she wasn’t burdened with paying rent and utilities or having to re-buy furniture.  It had been a very generous gift.  The problem, though, was that she basically spent every moment of her new life either on the Casino compound or visiting Gaston in his bachelor apartment.

“Yeah, well, Storybrooke’s night life is severely…limited.  Besides, we did what you wanted to do last time, sweetheart.  It’s only fair that we take turns.”

“What, exactly, did I choose last time?”

“We had two movie choices; the original Karate Kid and the awesome new Karate Kid with Will Smith’s kid.  You chose the old one and I went along with it, like a real gentlemen.  So now it’s my turn.”

Belle sighed and grinned sadly.  “How silly of me.  You’re absolutely right. After all ‘the course of true love never ran smooth.’”

“Huh?  The course of what now?”

“True love.”  He continued to stare at her in confusion.  “It’s Shakespeare, dear.  From your favorite play _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_.  Remember?”

He laughed heartily but it didn’t seem to reach his eyes.  “Ah!  I knew that.  Just checking to see if you did, my beauty.  Will you be coming to the restaurant tonight?”

“Of course.  Regina will want to hear all about the book and how much business it will bring to the museum.”  She raised herself up on the tips of her toes and reached her head out to kiss him.  He quickly shook his head and raised his eyes to the ceiling, where one of a dozen domed security cameras resided.

“Remember Belle.  In this Casino, there’s always somebody watching.  I’ll see you at dinner.”

 

 

 


	14. A Liar and a Thief

Granny sat at the crowded blackjack table in the velvet roped VIP section of the casino and pondered her next move.

She had been counting cards for the last hour and knew there were some low ones due to come up. Her current total was a respectable fifteen but she knew she could do better. Tapping the table firmly, she signaled her desire for another hit.

She received a five, giving her twenty while the dealer got an eight, giving him twenty-three. "Dealer busts and the lady wins again."

She smiled brightly as her stockpile of chips doubled in size and she took a deep drink of her Tom Collins in celebration. She had purposely lost a few hands to throw off any suspicion, but she still managed to accumulate more than fifty thousand dollars so far.

Not bad for an old lady!

Speaking of old, her chest contracted painfully and she quickly reached for the prescription bottle from her Prada purse.

"Weak heart, Mrs. Lucas?" asked Victor Whale, the handsome blond man who sat next to her.

"I don't believe in weakness," she replied grimly. "It costs too much. I don't believe in questions either."

"Oh really?" laughed the younger man. "Well, let me give you a little advice, free of charge. I wouldn't be mixing that particular medication with too much alcohol. As Storybrooke's finest doctor, I could easily perform CPR on you, but since I'm on my fifth or sixth whiskey, it would not be a pleasant experience."

Granny huffed and took another swig of her drink. "While I'm sure your parents are very proud to have a doctor in the family, I have absolutely no use for you. Unless, of course, you're interested in marrying one of my dozens of eligible grand-daughters; in that case we can talk." She tossed back the last of her alcohol and slammed the glass down on the table. "I've managed to outlive twelve husbands and I'll outlive half a dozen more before it's my time to go!"

"Not if you keep winning Regina Mills's money, you won't. Trust me on this. You don't want to get in too deep with her."

"You know her well, then?" she asked as she signaled the waitress for a refill.

Dr. Whale smiled lazily into his liquor. "Oh, you might say she's come in for a physical once or twice…a week."

Granny raised her eyebrows and looked at the doctor in disapproval. "Isn't it against the physician's code or something to sleep with your patients?"

"I never do what's expected of me. It keeps life interesting." He rose from his seat and tossed the dealer a ten dollar chip. "Remember what I said about Regina, though. She doesn't take kindly to people she feels has wronged her. She can be a real witch sometimes."

Granny smiled impishly. Messing with Regina tonight should be fun!

 

~8~8~8~

 

Regina's heels clicked rhythmically as she marched purposely across her little empire. Business was booming thanks to the upcoming televised boxing match that was to be held in her convention center; so much so that every room at her hotel was filled, spa services were booked solid for the next week and a half, and the restaurant had a three hour seating wait.

And Leopold had thought it would never work!

First her blundering husband had made the grave mistake of asking her to step down as the main spokesperson for _Fairest Inc_., a company for which she had worked tirelessly for years! She was the _Fairest_ , no matter what the media said about her idiot step-daughter.

That meddlesome girl had to go!

Dousing Mary Margaret's drink with anti-psychotics had been almost too easy. In the course of one evening, the beautiful young woman had gone from America's sweetheart to a shaved headed, suspected drug addict now known around the world as _Nutty M &M_. Her life was in ruins!

Regina had even made a scrapbook of all the media coverage. It was always good for a laugh after a hard day.

Then the fool had made mistake number two; he laughed at her idea of expanding the company. Laughed! Like she was some brainless arm candy not capable of contributing to the organization! She knew he had never truly loved her. She had merely been the re-bound girl after the death of his beloved wife.

Well, Regina was not as heartless as her reputation may suggest.

All Leo wanted was to be with Eva again. With a simple cut to his brake line, she made her husband's wish come true.

Then she was free; free to do as she pleased with her dead husband's vast fortune.

With a devilish glee, she had watched as Eva's beloved vacation home was bulldozed to the ground to make way for something truly spectacular!

Now, after only one year of opening its doors, Storybrooke Hotel and Casino was not only _the_ New England destination, but also the most profitable one.

"Excuse me, Regina," said Gaston as he rounded a corner and caught up to her. "I got a call from Jones. There is a guest in the VIP room that would like a word with you."

Regina looked at her diamond encrusted watch to check on the time. "I can spare a few minutes. You go on ahead to the restaurant. Belle will be waiting."

Gaston snorted and fell into step beside her. "So let her wait. I'd rather be dealing with drunken, self-indulgent tourists than listen to her drone on about Shakespeare again. She would not shut up about that stupid book!"

"Trouble in paradise, Mr. Chevalier?" asked Regina mockingly.

"Paradise? Purgatory is more like it!" Gaston lowered his voice as they passed through the crowds playing at the slot machines. "I can barely get through a conversation with her without you talking into my earpiece telling me what to say, quoting poetry and shit. She's getting suspicious. I don't know how much longer I can do this."

Regina turned around and focused an icy glare at her casino manager. "You will do continue to do as you are told or you may just find yourself unemployed! Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, Regina. But if I'm going to continue with this then I should get something in return." His gaze wandered over the swell of her breasts peeking through her low cut black dress. "I want our… _meetings_ … increased to twice a week."

She chuckled coldly. "What's wrong, darling. Is our precious little Belle too _vanilla_ for you?"

"She does nothing for me," he growled. "Literally."

Regina stopped just outside the velvet rope and frowned. "Nothing? The ink has been dry on her divorce for almost six months now! How have you not sealed the deal yet?"

"She wants to take things slow! That annoying prude you have me courting wants to wait until we're in _love_. Can you believe that?"

"That's disgusting!" Regina sneered and shook her head. "Tell her what she wants to hear tomorrow then. She has the self-esteem of a snail; she'll believe you. The sooner you get into those ugly skirts of hers the better."

"Are you ever going to tell me _why_ I'm doing this?"

"It's on a need-to-know basis and right now…you don't need to know!"

She marched into the high rollers section and made her way over to Jones, now sporting a new ID card. "You have something for me?"

"Yes, ma'am." He nodded his head towards the second blackjack table. "The mature woman in the second seat. She said she needs to speak to you personally."

"What do we know about her?" she asked, critically studying the older woman's wardrobe. Between the stylish outfit, shoes and jewelry, the guest was wearing  
close to ten thousand dollars.

"She is Mrs. Olivia Lucas and she checked into the Presidential suite yesterday. Apparently she's an arms dealer; one of the biggest. Deals primarily with high end hunting rifles but rumor has it that she may have her hand in various other…markets."

"Lucas?" asked Gaston, frowning. "Never heard of her, and I do a lot of hunting."

"That's why I don't doubt it," replied Killian smugly, rolling his eyes. There was no love lost between Regina's two pets. "People in that line of work want to remain as inconspicuous as possible." He pointed his finger right in Gaston's face and sneered. "Besides, what you've never heard of could fill the entire ocean!"

"Put your hand in my face again and you'll lose it, sleazebag!"

"That's enough!" snapped Regina. "Bring her to me, Jones. Chevalier, head back to the restaurant and stay there."

She watched as Killian made arrangements to get Mrs. Lucas's substantial winnings cashed in and guided her to the private corner where Regina waited patiently.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Mills," said the older woman as she took her hand in a death grip and shook it firmly. Regina tried hard not to wince.

"Likewise, Mrs. Lucas. You requested a meeting with me?"

"I did. The fight is Saturday, is it not?" she asked quietly.

"Yes." She inwardly rolled her eyes but kept her gaze steady. "Would you like some tickets?"

Lucas snorted and shook her head. "Hand to hand combat doesn't interest me. Now give one man a crossbow and the other a five minute head start and then you might have my interest. No, I'm inquiring because I have an important package arriving Saturday, the contents of which are very valuable to me."

"I'll see to it that it gets safely stored in the House safe."

"That is unacceptable. The House Safe is for old Scotch and grandmother's pearls. I need something a bit more…secure."

"I can assure you, Mrs. Lucas, that the safe is more than adequate."

"And I can assure _you_ , Ms. Mills, that your cooperation in this matter will not go…unnoticed."

Regina had always been good at reading between the lines, especially when there was a threat hidden underneath. The result of _not_ cooperating would definitely be noticed…and remembered. "Now. What can you offer me besides the safe?"

 

~8~8~8~

 

The maître'd personally escorted Belle to her seat at the restaurant's finest table where she knew there would already be a bottle of decanted red wine waiting for them. It was the same seat she claimed every night and the same wine she drank before every dinner. Every evening had been the same from the moment that she came to this quaint, New England town.

Regina was a stickler for order and hated diverging from her time tested routines. It was almost like that ridiculous movie she had watched with Gaston; _Groundhog's Day_. Sometimes it felt as though she were cursed to live the same day over and over again.

It got to be very lonely at times.

She stared forlornly out the window to watch the waves of the Atlantic Ocean gently crash upon the wharf. Several sailboats and yachts glided peacefully across the calm waters, perhaps to travel to far off places to find adventure. Most likely they were just out for a pleasure cruise across the bay and would be returning before dark, but Belle liked to use her imagination to pretend otherwise.

A warm hand grasped her shoulder and she forced a smile on her face. "You guys are thirty seconds late. I was about to send out a search party."

She looked over at the fingers that gently squeezed her and gasped. The ring that encircled the index finger was shockingly familiar.

"Hey," said Daniel Gold, his eyes twinkling in warmth.

He looked exactly the same, down to the high-end suit and coordinating tie and handkerchief. The hair around his temples was grayer than the last time she had seen him, but it somehow made him look all the more dashing and worldly.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, too shocked to say anything else.

"I'm out," he replied simply.

"Out?"

"Of prison." He pulled out Gaston's usual seat and helped himself to a glass of wine. "Remember when I went out for ice cream and never came back?"

Belle looked at the restaurant's entrance in a panic. If Regina and Gaston were to see him…

"Don't worry about your dinner companions," he explained, taking a sip of wine. "They are otherwise engaged for the next few minutes."

"Daniel, you can't be here!"

"And yet here I am. I was given early parole for good behavior. They said I've paid my debt to society."

"Funny, I never got a cheque." She was shocked at her sudden boldness but he simply grinned appreciatively at her quip. She had always felt braver around him, something that she had been woefully lacking since her very public fall from grace.

His grin slowly turned into a frown and he reached for her hand. "I'm so sorry, Belle, for the trouble I put you through."

"Trouble?" she sputtered, pulling away from him. "I had to leave Boston! I was forced to sell the shop, our beautiful home, my books! I lost everything! Thanks to my association with you, no one wanted me anymore! My career was over!"

They fell into an awkward silence, their eyes conveying more pain than words ever could.

"You're not wearing your ring," he commented sadly as he twisted his own around his finger.

Her right hand automatically covered her left to hide it from view. She squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. She couldn't bear to look him in the eye. Not now. "I sold it. I no longer have a husband or didn't you get the papers?"

"Aye, I did," he replied dejectedly. "I must say they took me by surprise."

"I told you I'd write." She poured herself a drink and took a long sip for courage. "You were sentenced to ten years, Danny. I thought our love was enough to get us through it but it was just too hard to do it all on my own. Can't you understand? I needed a fresh start."

"You still had Bae," he said quietly.

Belle laughed humorlessly. "Sure I had Bae. I just never knew where he was! He disappeared like you told him to, changed his name to God knows what, started a new life. We had email but that was it. It was all just too much; too painful. We lost touch."

"And then last year you moved here…to Storybrooke."

"I'm friends with the owner. Regina was the only one who didn't look at me like I was scum. She picked me up, gave me a new life, entrusted me with her museum. She's the best friend I've ever had."

"And yet she's the reason I was went to prison in the first place," he said matter-of-factly.

Belle choked on her wine and Gold handed her his handkerchief. She waved it away. "What are you talking about? She doesn't even know you! I met her long after you were arrested."

"She's playing you, sweetheart. That's what she does. She's incredibly deceptive, stretches the truth to suit her own twisted needs and ruins lives."

"Sounds like someone else I know."

"I'm not joking, Belle."

"I'm not laughing, Danny."

Gold ran his hand through his long hair and sighed. "She's wanted revenge on me for almost two decades now. I was once in business with her mother, Cora. A job was botched and we lost a good man. Regina was in love with him. Her mother hadn't approved of the match and I believe she put him in harm's way on purpose. Unfortunately, Regina blamed me and still does to this day."

"So you're saying that she laid in wait for almost twenty years and what? Hired you for a job just so she could catch you at it? And what the Hell were you doing pulling off a job anyway? You told me you were done with it all. You promised me!"

"And I was done!" he growled. "But she knows me, Belle. She knew the best way to get to me was to threaten the ones I love most."

She frowned into her wine. "Bae."

"Aye. She hired _him_ to do the job. He had no idea who she was and why would he? My past with Cora and Regina is not something I'm proud of and, as you know, I don't volunteer information easily. It was suppose to be an easy job, in and out. But something went wrong the day before and his crew got picked up. When he told her he couldn't do it alone she threatened to have him killed. So he called up his old man to help him out. How could I refuse him?"

"You think this was all some elaborate set-up, don't you?" Belle shook her head and made to get up. He placed his hand on her shoulder, silently asking her to stay. "Being locked up has made you crazy and paranoid."

"Of course it was a set-up! She planned for everything! She had his men arrested because she knew he would call on me. The police were waiting for us when we arrived. I told Bae to run, to get away as quick as he could. I couldn't bear to see my boy locked up. So I took the fall, just like she knew I would."

"You're insane, you know that? I met her completely by chance! She didn't know who I was."

Gold snorted bitterly. "Let me guess. She happened to run into you in a public place, started a seemingly innocent conversation and gave you some friendly advice? You began to trust her. I'm guessing she's the one that put the idea of divorcing me into your head."

Belle shifted uncomfortably in her padded seat. "No one chooses my fate but me."

"No, but they can manipulate the circumstances so you feel as though you have no choice but to choose the path they laid out. I know I haven't always been as honest with you in the past as I should have been, love, but you have to trust me on this. Regina is a bad person and I had to protect my son from her." He entwined his fingers with hers and squeezed. "Deep down, you know that I'm a good man who makes _bad_ choices for all the _right_ reasons."

"You're a liar and a thief."

"I only lied about being a thief and I don't do that anymore."

"Steal?"

"Lie."

"Well, I'm with someone now who doesn't have to make that distinction."

"You mean the brainless oaf Regina is paying to sleep with you?"

The palm of her hand connected with the side of his face with such force that all eyes in the restaurant turned to them. "How dare you!"

"I'm sorry, Belle. I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"Of course you did! You toy with words like you do people. You've basically just told me that the only two people in this world that give a damn about me actually don't! Do you have any idea how small that makes feel? Besides, what I do or _do not do_ is no longer your concern."

"You will always be of concern to me, Belle. And there are a lot of other people out there that still love and care for you too. You don't love me…fine. You want to make a new life for yourself…do it. But not here. And not with _him_."

"Spoken like a true ex-husband." She raised her glass in a mock salute and took a drink.

"Does he make you laugh?" he asked quietly.

She was temporarily taken aback by the question. _Did_ her make her laugh? The truth was…no, he didn't. He didn't share her sense of humor and neither did she get his. But he was kind, thoughtful, and tried to make her happy…at least, he did some of the time. She decided to take another approach. "He doesn't make me cry."

"Excuse me, you're in my seat."

Gaston towered over their table and glared daggers at Gold. He, in turn, looked as calm as ever. Looking up at the giant casino manager, he gave him his signature smirk and relaxed into the seat even more. "I'm sorry. I don't see your name on it."

Belle saw her boyfriend's nostrils begin to flare. "Gaston, meet my ex-husband, Daniel Gold. He was just walking across the restaurant and happened to see me."

"Really?" he asked sarcastically. "Of all the gin joints in all the world?"

Gold smiled menacingly. "Something like that."

Gaston must have realized that Daniel was not going to remove himself from his seat anytime soon, so he took the chair to Belle's left and took her hand between his two. "So this is the infamous Mr. Gold. I take it you were recently released from the penitentiary?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was."

"And how does it feel to be out."

"About the same."

Belle cleared her throat loudly and looked at her ex-husband beseechingly. "Danny was just leaving."

While she was sure that Gold's pride screamed at him to stay, she also knew that he would do anything she asked of him, even if it was to leave her forever.

He quietly grabbed his cane and raised himself up without protest. Gaston, not one to let things go, cupped his hand under Belle's chin, bringing her eyes up to meet his gaze. "I take it we won't be seeing anymore of Mr. Gold anytime soon?"

"You never know," replied Gold quietly, standing next to her chair.

"Ah! I know everything that goes on in this Casino," Gaston stated with pride.

"So I take it I should put those towels back."

"No." Gaston raised Belle's knuckles to his lips and kissed them gently. His eyes then sought out Gold's. "The _towels_ you can keep. Goodbye, Mr. Gold."

"Goodbye, Daniel." She watched as her beloved ex-husband limped away, his fingers bone white from tightly gripping his cane in either frustration or hurt. Most likely both.

It broke her heart to see him in pain.

"I think I'll have my usual tonight," said Gaston, picking up the menu. "How about you?"

 


	15. Earthquake

Leroy did not like to be disturbed.

After spending his entire life living in a tiny, cramped house with seven brothers, he now relished having the small motel room all to himself. His new found solitude was refreshing and he refused to have his sanctuary disturbed by maids, room-service, or even his fellow co-conspirators.

Plus, he had several pounds of highly illegal, highly sensitive explosives that could blow up half the building should they be mishandled by ignorant busybodies.

He was paying for his privacy now, however. After almost three weeks of being holed up in there, he was beginning to notice the filth that had slowly consumed the room.

Soiled clothing lay scattered across every available surface. Old (and hopefully empty) pizza boxes were piled haphazardly by the door and the small kitchenette was filled with empty beer bottles. He didn't even want to think about the state of the bathroom!

There was no way he could bring Astrid back here and he was sure she would object to sleeping in those sheets.

Yup. It was time to let the maids in.

He sighed heavily and ran his hand over the back of his neck. He would have to move all the explosives while the maids were at work. He didn't dare leave them in the van or headquarters. He would have to ask one of the others to keep them in their room until his was cleaned.

Gold's son, Neal, was a pain in his ass. He would put them in his room.

Smiling impishly to himself, he picked up his grinder and whistled as he got back to work. Granny's 'package' needed to be done by Saturday and he still had lots to do. The beautiful emerald-colored jewels that she was having delivered were actually created from volatile chemicals that needed to be enclosed in a heavily padded case or Granny could lose an arm.

Possibly her head too.

As he carefully shaped the explosives to fool even Regina's careful eyes, he thought about what he would do with his share of the money.

Ten million dollars will buy a lot of beer! Plus he wanted to get his girl an engagement ring; the biggest diamond he could find. Astrid deserved it and so much more. She was definitely the girl of his dreams!

The first thing they would do is sail across the world. He had already put a hefty deposit down on a beautiful ship. He knew he was counting his chickens before they were hatched but Mr. Gold knew what he was doing when he came up with this plan.

That money was as good as his!

Right when he was about to make a very delicate incision, his hand began to shake uncontrollably. At first he thought there was a problem with the grinder. He had been using it for hours and it was bound to malfunction at some point.

Then he realized it wasn't just his hand that was shaking.

The whole room rocked with tremors.

Diving across the littered floor, he desperately tried to steady the boxes of explosives before one of them fell and turned him to ash. The earthquake lasted several seconds, each one feeling like an eternity. When they finally subsided, he allowed himself a moment of relief and sighed heavily.

Then his room was suddenly shrouded in darkness. In fact, it wasn't just his room. It looked like power was out in the entire city!

"Shit!" he swore loudly.

After ensuring that his Do Not Disturb sign was still hanging from his outer door, he grabbed his coat and ran out of the motel.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Mr. Gold sat in his motel room and stared at the five monitors that glowed brightly in front of his couch. There had originally been six, but one of them had come to a painful end by being impaled by his cane.

A large tumbler that had been filled to the brim with Scotch but an hour previously had been to blame. It now lay empty besides the chards of…whatever computer monitors are made of these days. He couldn't think tonight; he mind was befuddled by too much drink and not enough sleep.

It had been difficult day. He had found himself unable to concentrate on completing the final preparations of their mission when his mind kept wandering back to that disastrous meet with Belle the night before.

Tomorrow was Saturday; the day of the fight; the day of the heist. His team had spent the day going over each detail again and again and again. They held a dress rehearsal, so to speak, and performed one last, important task. Jefferson and August had outdone themselves with the construction of the fake vault. Everything should go exactly according to plan.

He should have been thrilled.

Instead, he shut himself up in his room when they were done, got roaring drunk and watched hours and hours of recorded footage of his beloved wife walking around the casino compound.

He watched as she left her suite that morning and walked to her museum. There was very little for her do there. The museum was so small that there was little to no maintenance to perform on the pieces and they only acquired new items from time to time.

Basically, she was glorified tour guide, tasked with explaining great works of art that no one but her would ever appreciate.

Gaston had dropped by in the morning, bringing her another cup of tea. No doubt Regina or one of her minions had prepared it for him. He didn't seem like the type who could tell the difference between Raspberry Splendor and Earl Gray.

Gold was somewhat pleased to see she seemed a bit distant with the casino manager today. Perhaps she had taken some of his warnings to heart. He knew her well enough to identify her moods, even through a hacked computer feed.

She was absolutely miserable and he hated himself for it.

The mishap with the cane happened after he had fast forwarded several hours when she was closing up shop late in the afternoon. It must have been Gaston's day off because he was waiting for her out in the lobby. Gold watched, helplessly, as this Neanderthal escorted Belle back to her quarters, his hand on her lower back, and followed her inside. The time stamp indicated that this had been almost four hours ago.

He had yet to leave.

Emma would be furious with him for losing one of her monitors but he would deal with that tomorrow. Right now he had to stop his hands from trembling so much.

Suddenly it wasn't just his hands that trembled but his entire body. Two of the monitors toppled over and a generic painting fell off of its hook to the floor below. Realization finally broke through the alcohol induced fog that permeated his brain.

Grabbing his cherished chipped tea cup and holding it protectively against his heart, he ducked underneath the coffee table and waited for the earth to stop quaking.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Granny sat in her usual booth at the motel's café furiously knitting a winter hat for Henry. She had already finished the scarf and mittens and wanted to complete the set before the team parted ways. Boston, she knew, could get quite cold in the winter, which is one reason why she chose to live in Florida.

She had grown quite fond of the little rascal in the three weeks that she had known him. He was sharp, fearless and incorrigible; just like his father was at that age.

Emma claims she had adopted Henry two years ago. That may be, but she failed to mention that first she had given birth to him and then gave him up for adoption.

She had known the truth the moment she had looked, _really_ looked, at him. There was no doubt in her mind that Henry was Neal's son, making him her step-great-grandson; making him family.

And the one thing that she never, ever does is forget about her family.

She set her knitting down to flex her cramped fingers. Arthritis was starting to set in. God, she hated getting old! Perhaps she wouldn't get through six more husbands after all. Maybe she would end up being someone else's meal ticket for a change.

The thought was thoroughly depressing.

Granny reached out for her cup of tea to take some more Tylenol when she noticed the liquid was gently sloshing around in the mug. Suddenly, the cup itself began to shake and clink against the plate it sat upon and her spoon bounced across the table.

She quickly slid down the booth's seat and hid underneath the cheap, pressed wood table. Glasses and mugs vibrated right off of the edge of the counter, while a rickety, old shelf displaying homemade jams and preserves collapsed behind her.

With trembling hands she reached for the chain around her neck and sought out the twelve wedding bands that hung on it. The feel of the warm gold around her fingers brought her some comfort, but she continued to tremble long after the earthquake had stopped.

The pain in her chest was worsening. Digging into her purse, she ignored the Tylenol and reached for her heart medication instead.

 

~8~8~8~

 

David Nolan was in absolute heaven!

Not only would he be ten million dollars richer in about twenty-four hours, he now had someone with which to spend his vast fortune.

Mary Margaret lay next him, her lips locked with his in a passionate embrace. They had been at it for hours now, not being able to quench the lust that had been building between them for the last three weeks.

After the events of the _Enchanted Forest_ , when he had rescued her from the wandering hands of Sidney Glass, she had finally realized that his feelings for her were real.

What they had was true love and neither of them was willing to fight it anymore.

They had talked for hours and hours. He told her everything about his childhood, the struggles his mother had faced after the passing of his father, meeting Mr. Gold who showed him another way to help his family.

She told him all about losing her mother as a child and her father's quick re-marriage to his top model. She described the incredible hurt she had felt when society had shunned her and called her crazy. How she had lost everyone and everything in her life.

Now she had hope.

He deepened the kiss and she responded just as enthusiastically, running her hands over his back as he moved over top of her. The bed rocked underneath them as their passions built, threatening to explode.

Suddenly, it wasn't just the bed that was moving.

David looked up in time to see the paintings fall off the wall and the wine glasses vibrate right off the small kitchenette table. The motel's outdoor neon lights abruptly extinguished and they were plunged into darkness.

"Did you feel that?" he asked hoarsely.

Mary Margaret opened her eyes and panted heavily. "Yeah. You were amazing!"

 

~8~8~8~

 

Ruby sang softly to herself while she proficiently cleaned up the little corner of the cannery dubbed the lunchroom. It was really just a couple of rickety tables and a dozen fold out chairs separated from the rest of the warehouse by a few portable wall dividers, but it was the best they had.

Jefferson had managed to acquire a half decent fridge and a microwave older than most of the crew and she had contributed by finding a working coffee machine and mismatched mugs from a local yard sale.

It wasn't much, but it had sure started to feel like home.

She had never been the type to stay in one place for too long. She enjoyed the open road, the adventure of travelling and having only herself to worry about. It's all she's ever known in her adult life.

But if she was really honest with herself, she would admit that it was nice having a group of people around who cared for and looked after each other. Her pack of friends had somehow become her family along the way and for once, the thought didn't terrify her.

She was actually quite sad that the heist was tomorrow, because then everyone would go their separate ways and she would once again be a lone wolf.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She jumped at the sound of the nervous voice coming from behind her. Turning around, she saw Archie standing at the corner of the partition twisting his lucky umbrella in his hands.

She smiled at his sudden appearance and flipped her hair over her shoulder playfully. "Is that all their worth?"

He chuckled softly. "I think you'd be amazed how much I'd pay to hear what you think."

"About what?" she asked, surprised.

"Anything and everything," he replied. "You are one of the most interesting people I've ever known."

Ruby felt her face grow uncomfortably hot. No one had ever cared about her thoughts or opinions, just what she saw and heard when she was on a job. "I was just thinking about how I've been alone too long. I'm going to miss you guys when this is done."

"I'm going to miss you too." Archie looked down at his feet and continued to fidget with his umbrella. "It's been good for me to be on my own, away from my parents. But it does get incredibly lonely sometimes."

"Yeah. It does."

She brushed her hand over her nose when something tickled her, then blinked repeatedly as dust began flying in her eyes. "What the Hell?"

"Ruby! Look out!" shouted Archie.

She felt more than saw Archie reach her and carefully sweep a thick layer of dust from her face. The ground began trembling beneath their feet as the old cannery rocked from the tremors. Debris fell all around them but it luckily seemed to miss them completely.

Looking up at Archie, she saw that he had opened his umbrella just as decades of dust began to rain down. He held unto her protectively as the world shook around them.

"That is seriously…wow!" she stammered. "Thanks, Archie."

"Don't mention it," he replied, his face turning the most delightful shade of red as he continued to brush more dust from her long hair.

The overhead lights flickered and died and they suddenly found themselves completely enshrouded in darkness. Feeling braver knowing that he couldn't see her face, she reached up on the tips of her toes and kissed his trembling lips.

 

~8~8~8~

 

"Is it in yet?" asked Jefferson, looking over his shoulder.

"God, I hate that question," grumbled August, readjusting the angle slightly so his tool would slide in more easily. "How's that?"

"Yeah," he grunted in reply. "Yeah, I think we're good."

"You're sure about this?"

"Just do it already! My arms are killing me!"

August circled around the old black van and jumped into the driver's seat. He carefully turned the ignition, crossing his toes for luck. The engine stalled at first but then quickly roared to life.

"We're good to go!" called Jefferson as he slammed the hood down and rubbed the circulation back into his aching arms. "That was harder than I expected."

They wiped their greasy hands clean on some rags and stood back to admire their handiwork. The cube-van was parked inside their headquarters, safely hidden from prying eyes, but close enough to the cannery's loading doors so as not to flood the warehouse with exhaust fumes. They had been working on the vehicle for hours now, trying to get it ready for Saturday night, and it looked like it was finally ready to go.

"Wait. I think something may be wrong with the engine," warned Jefferson, frowning. "Why's the van shaking like that?"

"What do I look like, a mechanic? My father was a carpenter. You should be grateful I knew how to change the spark plugs."

Suddenly it wasn't just the van that was rocking but the floor beneath them too. Dust and debris began to rain down on them from the old ceiling and Jefferson quickly jumped inside the back of the van for protection.

Feeling around in his pocket, he sighed in relief when he found that the picture of his late wife, Alice, holding a baby Grace in her arms was safe and unharmed. He held it against his heart protectively and looked around for his friend. "August! Where are you? Get in here!"

August had run to the opposite end of the warehouse, dodging falling broken boards of wood and decades of dirt. There was no exit in that direction so Jefferson had no idea what the idiot was up to.

When the tremors had finally stopped, the overhead fluorescent lights quickly dimmed then extinguished completely. Jefferson blindly made his way around to the driver's side door and flipped on the van's high beams. August shielded his eyes from the glaring lights while trying to carry a bulky box in his arms.

"Are you mad?" cried Jefferson once the other man reached the safety of the van. "You could have been killed! What were you thinking?"

"I had to save this." He nodded to the box and used a rag to lovingly wipe the dirt from it.

"What's in there that's worth dying over?" he asked warily. Knowing August it could be full of alcohol or maybe his collection of porn.

"My whole life," he whispered reverently. With a quick flick of his fingers the lock was unlatched and he pulled the top open.

Jefferson carefully leaned over and stared incredulously at the object laying inside. "Seriously? A typewriter?" He ran his hands over his face in exasperation and sighed. "You need a woman, Booth. Badly!"

 

~8~8~8~

 

Emma Swan walked down the second floor terrace that passed by the doors to all of the team member's motel rooms and tried not to let her frustration get the better of her. She needed to be calm, but firm, cool and collected. She needed to be the one in control.

She needed a drink. Badly.

Henry had snuck out of the room they shared and she had a sneaking suspicion of where he would be. Her son had grown quite attached to the members of the Gold family, something that she found both endearing and worrisome at the same time.

He still wasn't aware that Neal was his biological father and Henry had been sworn to secrecy about her being his birth mother. Still, of everyone he had gotten to know over the last three weeks, Neal seemed to be the one he had connected with the most.

It made sense. Neal was very immature for his age.

It was a warm and humid evening and while the curtains were drawn in all the rooms, several windows were left open to tempt a passing breeze. From the sounds of things in David's room, he and Mary Margaret had stepped their relationship up to the next level.

She was quite thankful that she had not been assigned the room next to his, although being next door to Granny was no picnic. Her snores were loud enough to wake all twelve of her dead husbands!

Neal's room was two more doors down and she knew before she reached it that Henry was inside. She could hear them talking excitedly through the open window over the sounds of the television.

She walked through the unlocked door and found her ten year old son dressed in his Avenger PJs and Hulk slippers, cuddled up next to her ex-boyfriend, who wore an Iron Man t-shirt.

"Hey Mom!" said Henry happily, munching on an enormous bowl of popcorn. "Are you here to watch the movie with us? Jefferson found a copy of Iron Man 3! It's not even in theaters yet!"

"You are supposed to be in bed, young man," she said sternly.

"Umm…technically I _am_ in bed," replied Henry smugly.

"Sorry, Emma," said Neal sheepishly, nudging the boy playfully with his arm. "He told me you gave him permission to come over. This might be our last time hanging out together and I thought he would get a kick out the movie."

The fight immediately went out of Emma when she realized just how close the two had become. One late night wouldn't hurt him and if he saw that film now then she wouldn't have to take him to the theater when it officially came out.

"That popcorn had better be buttered," she said grudgingly as she moved across the room to claim the other side of the bed.

Neal and Henry both smiled brightly and moved over a bit to make room for her. She was about to plop herself into the bed when something hanging off the headboard caught her eye.

"Is that…our old dreamcatcher?"

His face flushed scarlet and he quickly stretched out to grab it. Emma was faster and reached it first. She turned it around in her hands, carefully touching the feathers that hung from it.

"It always reminded me of you," he said awkwardly, refusing to meet her eyes. "I couldn't bear to get rid it."

"Neal, I…" She didn't know what to say or even what to think. She was speechless and that was something that didn't happen often.

All of a sudden, the paintings on the wall against the bed began to shake and Emma rolled her eyes in disgust. "I really hope that's not Nolan and Blanchard."

"No," said Neal, rolling off the bed. "No, that's not Nolan."

The floors began to rock underneath them and she instinctively crouched to the floor to avoid falling over. Without another word, Neal scooped Henry up in his arms and ran to the bathroom doorway.

"Emma! Get under cover now!"

"What's happening?" cried Henry, holding onto Neal tightly.

"It's going to be okay, Henry," Emma said when she reached the doorway. Neal wrapped his other arm around her protectively and together they waited out the tremors.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Belle sat in the living area of her hotel suite and cringed.

Rambo had been killing Vietnamese soldiers for almost four hours now and she didn't know how much more blood she took take. _First Blood_ had been bad enough, but then Gaston had put in _First Blood II_! She sighed in relief as the credits finally rolled across the flatscreen TV.

"Well, that was…interesting," she said as she stood up to stretch her legs. Danny had never been one to watch action movies. He had liked to spend his evenings curled up with a good book or a watching a documentary on the History channel.

That sounded like absolute Heaven right now!

"Don't go too far, sweetheart," said Gaston after taking another swig of beer. "I'm going to put the third one on in a few minutes."

"They made three of these?" she asked in disbelief.

"Four actually. Why? Would you rather switch to _Rocky_?"

She sat back down and picked up his hand. "Why don't we turn off the TV and do something else for a bit?"

"Yeah?" Gaston smiled enthusiastically. He scooted over on the couch and caressed her hair. Leaning in closer, he pressed his lips against hers and kissed her fiercely. His left hand wandered down her neck to the swell of her breasts.

"Gaston!" she cried, pushing him away. "That's not what I meant!"

"But I love you, Belle," he replied quickly, bringing her back in. "Let me show you how much."

She turned her head to the side to avoid his lips so he brought them to her neck instead. She squirmed uncomfortably at the contact. "If you truly loved me you would respect my wishes!"

Gaston growled low in his throat and released her. He stalked to the kitchenette, grabbed another can of beer and chugged it down. "I've been respecting you for months now. What about my needs? When are you going to start respecting _me_?"

"Why are you even with me?" she asked him suddenly. She had been wondering that for weeks now but hadn't had the guts to ask. Seeing her ex-husband again had brought back not just a decade of buried feelings but also a bit of her courage. "We obviously have nothing in common!"

He sighed heavily and came back around to face her. "Let's talk about this another time, okay? We were having a nice night until you had to go and ruin it. Now, I'll be nice and let you choose. Should we continue on with Rambo or switch to Rocky?"

She was about to suggest that he leave when the floor beneath her began to shake violently and frames fell off of shelves all around them. She instinctively reached out to Gaston to steady herself but he brushed her off and ran to the hide underneath the granite counter. The tremors knocked her to the ground and she covered her head with her arms to protect it from falling objects.

"What the Hell was that?" asked Gaston's muffled voice from the kitchen.

"I'm fine," Belle mumbled quietly to herself. "Thanks for asking."

The lights around them suddenly went out and the whole seaside town seemed to be plunged into instant darkness. Perfect.

Her only thought was of Danny and his injured leg. Had he gotten under cover in time? Was he even still in Storybrooke? She sincerely hoped that he was at least somewhere safe and unharmed.

 

~8~8~8~

 

"What's going on?" Neal asked as he, Emma and Henry arrived at the cannery. They had received word that the team needed to assemble immediately for an emergency meeting but no one knew who had called the meeting or what it was about.

"Your guess is as good as mine, son," replied Gold tiredly. "I thought maybe you had called it."

Power was out all over the city so they now stood amidst the blaring lights of several cars parked on the wharf. Neal attempted to do a head count but it was too difficult to see among all the shadows.

"Was anyone hurt in the earthquake?" Emma called out, keeping Henry close by.

"Is anyone missing?" added Mary Margaret.

"What the hell is that smell?" asked August suddenly.

Jefferson covered his face with his cravat. "Whatever it is it's overpowering the stink of rotten fish."

"It smells like a dirty toilet," said Henry as he waved his hand in front of his nose.

"It's me," roared Leroy. He stalked towards the group, the stench growing stronger with every step. His entire body was covered head to do in what appeared to be raw sewage.

"Yeah. We're in deep shit!"

 


	16. In a Pinch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *****WARNING***** This story was completed and posted on another site before it went on this one. This particular chapter was written 2 months BEFORE the Boston Marathon Bombings and I would like to apologize if this offends anyone! In this chapter, some members of the Eleven go to Boston and Leroy...well, Leroy IS the explosives guy. My heart goes out to all the victims and their families and it is certainly not my intention to make light of that tragedy.

“Yeah.  We’re in deep shit!” roared Leroy as he peeled off his sewage soaked jacket and threw it unceremoniously over the edge of the wharf into the ocean.  He carefully removed his flannel over-shirt and wiped the offending substance off of his face and balding head.

“What the Hell happened to you?” asked David as he charmingly shielded Mary Margaret from any splatter.

“All I can say is, I hope you guys pre-paid your return-tickets home because we ain’t getting our hundred and twenty million now!”

“Calm yourself, Leroy!” ordered Gold sternly.  Things were starting to get out of hand and there was no need to upset everyone.  “Now will you please, slowly, explain what has happened?”

“The plan is screwed!  That’s what!”  He dug around in his back pocket and pulled out a shiny, metallic flask.  He cautiously smelled the top of it then took a long swig.  “We might as well pack it in and get drunk.”

“Leroy!” hollered Neal.  “What happened?”

“The God damn earthquake is what happened!” he bellowed in exasperation.  “It caused some frigging mines to collapse under the town!”

Gold and Neal looked at each other and shrugged.  “So what?”

“So what?” he cried.  “Have any of you noticed we’re hanging around in the dark right now?  The mines caved in, which caused part of the sewers above it to collapse.  Where the Hell did I put my explosives, you ask?  In the fucking sewers!”

“Okay,” said Emma, holding her hands out in front of her to pacify him.  “You have more C4 and stuff in your room right?  So just put some further down the line.  Problem solved.”

He growled in frustration and started pacing the wharf.  “The problem ain’t solved, sister!  The city knows of the problem now so they’re correcting it as we speak.  They’re bypassing all the lines to another grid.  A grid I can’t get access to!”

“You mean there’s nothing you can do?” asked Mary Margaret.

“Unless you expect me to start randomly hitting electrical boxes with a pickaxe, then yeah, there’s nothing else I can do.”

“So what you’re saying is...” said August slowly, “we’re royally screwed.”

“It was a good plan, Daniel,” said Granny sadly.  She reached out and softly touched his arm.  “But it isn’t going to work.  I’m sorry.”

Gold limped slowly to the edge of the wharf, his head bowed in concentration.  His son quickly joined him and they began to speak in hushed tones.  The other members of the team could only catch snippets of their conversation.

“We could always…” said Neal.

“By tomorrow?” asked Gold.

“What about…” he suggested.

“If I had a month to plan, maybe…” was the reply.

“Hang on a minute!” cried a voice from the crowd.  “We could use a Pinch!”

“A pinch of what?” scoffed Leroy after helping himself to another drink.  “Fairy Dust?”

Jefferson waved Gold and Neal back over then addressed the rest of the group.  “A Pinch is a device which creates like, uh, a cardiac arrest for any broadband electrical circuitry.  Or better yet, a Pinch is a bomb…but without the bomb.”

He was met with a dozen blank stares and several raised eyebrows.  Clearing his throat loudly, he tried to explain as simply as he could.  “You see, when a nuclear weapon detonates, it releases an electromagnetic pulse which shuts down any power source within its blast radius.  That tends not to matter in most cases because a nuclear weapon usually destroys everything you’d need power for anyway.  But a Pinch creates a similar electromagnetic pulse, but without the fuss of mass destruction.”

“That doesn’t seem like much fun,” grumbled Leroy.  “Let’s get back to drinking!”

Understanding suddenly gleamed in Gold’s eyes.  “So basically, instead of Hiroshima, we would be getting the Dark Ages.”

“Exactly.”

“How long?” asked Neal, smirking conspiratorially at his father.

“About thirty seconds.”

Gold nodded and gestured with his hands.  “And could a Pinch knock out the power of a small city, for instance…?”

“Storybrooke?” suggested Jefferson.  “Yeah, I think it might.  But there’s only one Pinch in the world big enough to manage it.”

“And where would that be?”

“The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.”

“MIT,” added Neal.  He clapped his hands together and turned towards the others.  “Get some coffee, people.  We leave for Boston in twenty minutes.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Emma cautiously made her way across the second floor terrace to Mr. Gold’s room with the help of a keychain flashlight.  Jefferson had managed to acquire several torches but she had left hers in the company of Henry, who was happily building a fort of blankets and pillows in their room. 

He seemed happy enough despite the power outage.  This entire job was turning out to be one big, continuous adventure for him and she admired his optimistic view that everything would turn out for the best.  Emma was far less confident.

When had she become so jaded?

She could hear Gold’s Scottish brogue arguing heatedly with his son before she even reached the door.  She knocked loudly on the doorframe before cautiously letting herself in.

“We’re ready to go,” she announced.  “Granny promised to look in on Henry throughout the night for me, just in case.”

“There’s no need,” said Neal gruffly.  “You’re not going.”

Emma huffed heavily and looked at her ex-boyfriend in annoyance.  “Look!  I’ve been in more dangerous situations than you could imagine.  I’ve gotten along just fine without you over the past decade so don’t you start getting all over protective on me, okay?  I’m no damsel in distress.”

“There’s no need to be angry at him, dearie,” said Gold firmly.  “It wasn’t his decision.  In fact, he’s not going either.”

“What?” she exclaimed.

The shadows from the torch danced eerily across Mr. Gold’s sad, worn face, making him appear at least ten years older.  He sighed resignedly and carefully sat on the couch’s armrest.  “I made a promise to you, Miss Swan, that no harm would come to you on this job.  There is a very good chance that tonight’s B&E will end badly for us, so the best place for you is to stay here with your son, safe and sound.”

“So why isn’t _he_ going then?” she asked, looking over at Neal who was sulking quietly in the corner.  “Of everyone on this team he’s probably the best at breaking and entering.  Why not use his skills?”

“Because he once gave up everything to keep me out of jail,” said Neal softly.

“Aye,” Gold replied.  “And I won’t have you get hauled off tonight either. I will do whatever it takes to keep my family safe.” He gave Emma a pointed look that was completely lost on Neal.  “I am refusing to allow either of you two, Granny or even Miss Blanchard to come along.  The rest are free to make their own choices.” 

“Why not Mary Margaret?” she asked.

“Because she is our Financer, dearie.  She was never meant to be put in harm’s way either.”

He heaved himself up and slowly limped across the room with the aid of his cane.  At the sound of glass crunching underneath his high-end shoes, Emma shone her light in his direction.  “Whoa!  What happened to my monitor?”

Gold cleared his throat awkwardly.  “It was…damaged in the earthquake, dearie. Now, with any luck, I shall see you both in the morning.  Be sure to get some rest.  Tomorrow is a big day.”

They followed their leader out of the room and watched silently from the terrace as the rest of the team divided themselves up between the white cube van and Nolan’s black SUV.  Emma was unsurprised to see Mary Margaret kiss David passionately goodbye, but she _was_ caught off guard to see Ruby plant a quick kiss on Archie’s lips before he jumped into one of the vehicles. 

When had _that_ happened?  Ruby then hooked her arm through Mary Margaret’s as they made their way across the street to a bar that was clearly running off of several generators, giggling the whole way.

“It’s nice how David and Mary Margaret and Archie and Ruby have managed to find their way to each other on this job, isn’t it?” asked Neal quietly.  “Love is a powerful thing.”

Emma shuffled her feet uncomfortably and looked down at her hands.  “Neal, we need to talk.”

“So talk,” he replied stoically.

“You kept the dreamcatcher,” she stated simply.

“You kept the keychain.”

She unconsciously grasped the swan pendent that hung around her neck.  It was warm against her skin, like it was just as much a part of her as her own heart.  She gave it a quick squeeze for luck and continued on.  “During the earthquake…you grabbed Henry and got him to safety.”

Neal breathed out slowly and ran his hand through his hair.  “If I could have grabbed both of you I would have.  You know that, right?  But I only had the time and strength for one of you.”

“I know,” she said breathlessly.  “It was the right choice, Baelfire.  I can’t tell you how much it meant for me to see you save him.”

At the sound of his old name, he reached out and entwined his fingers with hers and smiled sadly.  “Emma…you mean more to me than I can ever express.  Henry too.  As pathetic as it sounds to say it out loud, he’s one of my best friends now, and I can’t imagine my life without that kid in it anymore.”

Moisture threatened to spill out of Emma’s eyes as she leaned in and tentatively kissed him on the lips.  He returned the kiss gently then deepened it as she softly moaned.   She wrapped her arms around his neck, marveling by how easy it was to slip back into his embrace after more than a decade of being apart.

Her breath hitched in her throat as his lips moved down her neck and sucked on her pulse point.  She ran her fingers through his hair, tugging a bit too hard when he took her ear lobe into his mouth. 

“I never stopped loving you, Emma,” he whispered.

She kissed him back fiercely while slowly walking backwards to her room, pulling him along.  He pushed her up against the wall to stop her, hands wandering everywhere they could reach and muttered, “You share a room with Henry, remember?”

“Shit,” she giggled.  Turning around, she began guiding him in the opposite direction, towards his room.  He had to release her when he found his door was sealed.  He could have sworn he had purposely left it unlocked.  Digging around in his pockets, he dug out his key card and slid it in. 

He picked her up newlywed style and carried her over the threshold while she peppered his neck with kisses.  The room was black as night and Neal quickly stumbled in the dark.  “What the Hell was that?”

Emma shone her keychain light around the room and gasped.  “Do you have a bigger light?”

Neal withdrew his smartphone and flashed the screen on.  Boxes littered his floor and bed.  Squatting down next to one, he carefully opened the lid and peeked inside. 

“Son of a Bitch!” he roared.  He swiftly picked Emma back up and raced out of the room.

‘What was in the boxes?” she asked nervously once they were safely back outside.

“Leroy’s collection of explosives,” he replied furiously.  “I don’t know why but he’s storing them in my room.”

He exhaled loudly and tenderly placed his forehead against hers.  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.  I guessed it’s not meant to be tonight.”

She leaned forward and gently kissed his lips.  “We still have the back of the Bug,” she whispered seductively.

Neal smiled.  “Just like old times?”

“Yeah,” she replied, putting her hand in his.  “Just like old times.  Let’s go.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

It was well past midnight before Mr. Gold and his team finally arrived in Boston.  Thanks to David’s GPS system, they easily navigated the busy city streets and found their way into Cambridge.  The campus was much larger than they expected and the two vehicles met up at the Great Dome to discuss their next move.

“Jefferson, which building is it in?” asked Gold tiredly.

“Give me a second,” he replied, working furiously on his cell phone.  “I just need to figure out what department it falls under.”

“And here I thought you could find _anything_ ,” mocked Leroy under his breath.  “Schmuck.”

“It’d be Engineering, wouldn’t it?” asked August unhelpfully.

“There’s Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering…right now your guess is as good as mine.”  

In the end it turned out to be Nuclear Engineering and the team cautiously made their way to the buildings that housed the laboratories.  Security was much tighter there due to the dangerous matter that was safely stored inside and they parked across the street deep in the shadows to formulate a plan.

Mr. Gold ran his hand over his haggard face and got down to business.  “Jefferson, do you have a photo of the device to show the others?  There’s no point going in there if we don’t know what it looks like.”

“Sure thing.”  He brought up a picture from the internet of a long cylindrical piece of equipment filled with coils, filaments and a strange greenish liquid.  “It’s about five feet long, weighs almost 300 pounds and you’d better hope is already on a gurney or we’re in big trouble.  Any questions?”

When no one responded, Gold opened up the sliding van door.  “Nolan’s in charge.  Good luck.”

“Wait.  You’re not coming with us?” asked David.

“And what would you have me do if security arrives?” he replied, tapping his bad leg with his cane.  “Catch a ride on this nuclear device while you push it out the door?  Besides, someone has to be able to bail you lot out of jail if you’re arrested.”

David, Jefferson, August and Leroy jumped out of the van and it was a few seconds before Gold realized that Archie was still sitting in the passenger seat.  “And what, may I ask, are you still doing here?”

Archie just sat, quietly turning his umbrella over in his hands.  “I…I don’t think I can do it.”

“What?  Steal?  Hopper, your parents have had you stealing since the day you could hold your head up on your own.  If anyone here is qualified for this it’s you.”

“I’m not cut out for _this_ kind of thing,” he clarified.  “Lifting wallets and watches sure…but I’m not good enough to steal nuclear weapons and certainly not $120 million.  I’ll just screw it up.”

“First of all, this is not a nuclear weapon,” Gold chided him.  “It’s a college science experiment that turns off lights.  And second, what is this really about?  The job where that Marco kid got taken away from his parents?  Because that wasn’t your fault.”

Archie huffed and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  “Of course it was my fault!  I knew my parents were up to no good but I went ahead with their plan anyway.  I should have realized…I should have seen!”

Mr. Gold sat quietly, silently contemplating his old friend’s dilemma.  “Hindsight is a cruel companion, Hopper,” he said softly.  “The future is like a puzzle.  It’s hard to see the big picture when you’re only working with one piece of it at a time.  By the time you realize it, it is usually too late.  You can’t change the past, no matter how much you wish it.”

He didn’t know if he was referring to his own past or to Hopper’s but it didn’t matter.  Regret was an emotion that did not discriminate. 

When had he become so introspective?  God, wanted a drink!

The building’s loading doors suddenly opened with a resounding bang as a large cylinder came rolling out on a dolly with several shadowy figures following closely behind.  Archie swiftly opened the back door to the cube van and lowered the ramp. 

Jefferson was sweating profusely as he jumped into the passenger seat.  David and August, meanwhile, struggled to push the bulky device up the steep incline but they quickly managed it.  Once everyone was safely inside, Archie slammed shut the door and yelled to Gold, who was sitting in the driver’s seat.  “Go! Go! Go!”

“I’m going to need several car batteries to get this thing to work,” explained Jefferson while trying to buckle his seat belt as the van swerved around a tight corner.  “And lots of jumper cables…”  

“Wait!” interrupted Mr. Gold, looking in the rear view mirror to the other men.  “Where’s Leroy?”

The five men looked around the van as though the missing member would magically appear in front of them.   Gold slammed on the brakes and everyone went flying forward.  Once back on his feet, David slid open the side door and peeked his head out.

“He was right behind us!” protested Nolan.

“I think I heard him say something about creating a distraction,” added August, flexing his leg.

Thanks to the buildings floor to ceiling windows, they were able to quickly spot the half dozen security guards racing up the stairs, guns drawn and speaking into walkie-talkies.

“There he is,” exclaimed Archie, pointing at a hefty shadowy figure that stumbled down the other set of well-lit stairs on the opposite side of the building.

“Do we _have_ to go back for him?” asked August.

Everyone turned to stare incredulously at the stubble-faced man.  “What?  I’m just saying that we run the risk of all of us getting caught.  Or worse, shot!”

The sounds of glass shattering drew their attention back to the building.  Leroy kicked shards of broken window panes out of his way as he climbed through unto the overhang above the main entrance.

“Back it up!” hollered Jefferson.

The van sped back towards the lab, jumping a few curbs along the way.  Gold parked it under the ledge and Leroy jumped down onto the vehicle, denting the roof significantly.  He rolled down the windshield and off the hood unto the hard concrete.

“My God!” cried Nolan.  “Are you okay?”

Leroy raced around the van and jumped inside.  “It’s all right.  I’m solidly built.  Uh, Gold?  You might want to start driving…like, right now!”

Suddenly, the dark sky was awash in orange light as a powerful explosion rocked the building.  Fire spewed from the top floor windows as black smoke engulfed the air around them.

Leroy laughed maniacally in the back.  “Haha!  They weren’t expecting that shit!”

“What did you do?” demanded Gold crossly.

“We needed a distraction!  Those eggheads will be so busy trying to assess the damages upstairs that it might be days before they realize something’s missing downstairs!”

“You’re just jealous because I came up with an idea that didn’t involve mass destruction,” Jefferson replied dryly.

“Listen, sister!  I was hired for one thing and one thing only…to blow shit up!  You don’t like it, go jump out a window.”

Archie carefully removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.  “So basically, we have just set off a bomb in the Nuclear Science building of one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, while stealing a fusion device that will be used to shut down the power of an entire city to steal a hundred and twenty million dollars.”  He wiped his brow with a handkerchief and his eyes widened in fear.  “Did they _really_ shut down Guantanamo Bay?  Because I don’t think I would do well living with _actual_ terrorists.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

The sun was gently rising over the Atlantic as the team finally pulled into the cannery’s loading bay.   As his punishment for his terrorist act, Leroy had been forced to spend the four hour journey back to Storybrooke driving the cube van alone while the others sat companionably in the SUV. 

Neal was leaning casually against the large metal doors, sipping a steaming cup of coffee, as they piled out of the vehicles.  He smirked at their haggard appearance and nodded his head to the lunchroom where Ruby and Mary Margaret were setting up pastries and coffee.

“Why are you smiling so much?” Gold asked his son suspiciously.

“Oh, just had a good night, I guess,” Neal replied good-humoredly.  “You boys have a nice trip?”

Gold stifled a yawn and thought longingly of his motel bed.  “No one died,” he countered gruffly.

He was limping slowly towards the heavenly scent of coffee when Emma blocked his way, gripping a piece of paper tightly in her hands. 

“We have a problem,” she said quietly to father and son.

“If Leroy made the FBI’s most wanted list, dearie, he’s on his own,” replied Gold, waving his hand dismissively.  “It was not my idea to blow up MIT.”

“What?  No, this isn’t from the FBI,” she stammered.  “This is from the Casino.  And it’s not Leroy’s face that’s on it.  It’s yours.”


	17. Priority Number One

“You’ve been red-flagged,” explained Emma seriously.  “It means the second you step onto that Casino floor they’ll be watching you like hawks.  Hawks with video cameras.”

The entire room became eerily silent as Mr. Gold stared at the troublesome piece of paper in Emma’s hand.  While the expression on his face may have been subdued, the whitened knuckles clutching onto his cane belied his apprehension.  No one dared to breathe except for Leroy, who continued to munch on a glazed donut and loudly slurped his heavily sugared coffee.

“Well, let’s have a look shall we?  See what all the fuss is about.”  He held out his hand expectantly for Emma to pass over the document, which she did with some trepidation.  She had read it countless times over the last hour while waiting for the six men to return from their heist on MIT.  It was a troubling new development.

The page held two pictures of Gold; one of them his mug-shot taken upon his arrest almost three years previously.  The other was much more recent, obviously taken in the lobby of Regina’s hotel.  The rest of the paper contained his vitals; age, height, weight, physical features, arrest record and even a description of his disability and cane. 

“Bloody Hell,” he whispered, shaking his head despondently.

“What’s it say?” asked Neal tensely.

“Under language it says English spoken with an _Irish_ accent.   Excuse me, I am from _Scotland_!”  He tossed the paper indifferently in the air and made his way to the coffee machine. 

Neal swiftly caught the document and scrutinized it with much more concern than his father displayed.  “It says here you are a _Priority One Alert_.  Your presence on the premises is to be reported immediately to Security by order of the Casino Manager.”

“It’s a shame I couldn’t submit a better photo than my mug-shot,” Gold remarked flippantly.  “It was quite windy the night I was arrested and they took away my comb during booking.”

Neal leaned both of his arms against the table and dropped his head in exasperation.  “You gave me your word you would stay out of that Casino.”

“And I kept my word, son.”  Gold waved his finger back and forth in front of him mockingly.    “Not a single toe stepped inside the _Casino_.”

“Stop twisting my words!  You know damn well that I meant the entire building, not just the gaming floors!”

Emma quickly stepped between the two hot tempered men, keeping them apart.  “Any idea how this happened?” she demanded.

He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head noncommittally.  “I haven’t the slightest clue.”

“Oh, come on!” exclaimed Ruby as she threw her arms up in the air.  “He’s been chasing Gaston Chevalier’s girl.  The two of them got into an argument two nights ago in the restaurant while Granny was meeting with Regina.”

Gold glared daggers at the dark haired beauty but she did not cringe under his gaze.  “I was tailing you,” she boldly added.

His rugged face contorted into a sneer and he pointed his cane threateningly in her direction.  “And _who_ told _you_ to do that?”

“I did,” stated Neal calmly.  “I was concerned you couldn’t leave Belle alone.”

“Wait!” said Emma, frowning in confusion.  “Who is Belle?”

“My wife.”

“ _Ex_ -wife!” declared Neal, Archie, David and Jefferson at the same time.

Granny jumped up from her seat and stared in disbelief at her step-son.  “Belle is _here_?  Why wasn’t I told?”

Neal approached his father carefully and placed a comforting hand on Gold’s shoulders.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t know if it would sting you but it did.  You’re out, Dad.”

The sound of a mug shattering on the concrete floor echoed across the vast warehouse.  “He’s out?” cried Mary Margaret.  The others immediately began talking at once, each putting in their two cents worth.

Neal whistled loudly over the hoard of voices and raised his arms up in the air to direct everyone’s attention.  “It’s either that or we call the whole thing off!  His involvement puts us all at risk!”

“That is not your call,” snarled Gold.

“Oh, you made it my call,” his son replied.  “When you put her before everyone else, you made it mine.  I’m sorry Papa, but we promised this group of people ten million dollars _each_.  I know you still love Belle.  A lot of us here do too.  But I won’t let you risk our lives for your own personal vendetta.”

“This is _my_ plan!  _My_ sweat and blood.  I have put everything I have into this.   This is _my_ job!”

“Not anymore it’s not.”

“Wait! Wait! Wait!” argued Mary Margaret again.  “I have already funded ten million dollars into this little venture so I _will_ be heard.  He can’t _just_ be out! Who’s going to trigger the vault?”

Gold smiled triumphantly and raised his eyebrows, daring anyone to speak.

“Archie will do it,” stated Neal.

“Me?” squealed the be-speckled man.  He fidgeted awkwardly with his umbrella and shook his head.  “No!  No, I don’t think I can!”

“Archie,” Neal said quietly but firmly.  “You are the best at what you do.  I know you lost some of your confidence a while back but you have been spot on this entire job.  You can do this.  I believe in you.”

“Mr. Gold?” he asked timidly.  “What do _you_ think?”

Gold laughed humorlessly and stared down at his cane.  “It appears it doesn’t seem to matter what I think anymore.”

“I, for one, would very much like to hear your opinion on the matter, Mr. Gold,” added Mary Margaret, glaring at Neal.

He appraised his long-time friend for a moment and sighed.  “If anyone here is capable of pulling this off, it’s you, Hopper.”

The pickpocket let out a deep breath and nodded.  “Okay.  I can do it.”

“It’s settled then,” said Neal, looking relieved.  “You guys need to catch a few hours of sleep while I work out the changes in the plan.  Curtain goes up at seven.”

The group dispersed after the dismissal, some to head back to their rooms to get some sorely needed sleep, while others helped themselves to the food.

“Belle is with _Gaston_ now?” said Granny in amazement as she left the lunchroom.  “He’s too tall for her!”

 

~8~8~8~

 

“Doesn’t this feel wonderful?” purred Regina.

Belle was lying on a soft adjustable bed as one esthetician covered her face in expensive creams while a second sat at her feet giving the museum caretaker a pedicure.  She tried to look over at her friend, who was getting a full body massage in the next bed, but the beautician’s hands quickly held her head in place. 

“Now, now, Miss French,” huffed her tormentor of the last hour and a half.  “You must stop fidgeting so much or this will take twice as long.  I only have a few hours to make you beautiful and I need every second considering the state of your skin!”

She squirmed under the despicable woman’s harsh gaze.  “First of all, my name is _Ms. Gold_ , not Miss French.  And second, there is nothing the matter with my skin!”

“It’s all right, Belle,” mumbled Regina.  “Just sit back and enjoy my little gift to you.  You don’t treat yourself as much as you deserve.  Don’t you want to look beautiful for Gaston tonight?”

“We’re attending a _boxing_ match!” she replied glumly.  “I don’t understand why it’s necessary to get all dressed up to watch two strangers beat each other unconscious.”

“Because it will be televised nationally!” stated Regina scandalized.  “Plus this is a huge night for the Hotel and I want my _best_ friend there beside me to celebrate my success.”  She reached out her hand and grasped Belle’s fingers, giving them a very tight squeeze.

Belle fell silent as the witch with the tweezers began to torture her eyebrows.  If she had a choice in the matter she wouldn’t be attending this event at all!  Boxing just seemed so terribly… uncivilized!  It was not surprising that Gaston loved the sport. 

But it was Regina’s big night and she _had_ promised to stand by her.  If Belle was anything, she was a woman of her word. 

The two women were soon moved to the salon end of the spa where Belle was forced to endure hot irons, curlers and an endless application of heavily scented gels and sprays.  “So,” continued Regina unreservedly.  “Tell me all about last night!  I want every detail!”

“Last night?  Ouch!” asked Belle distractedly.  She was almost certain the esthetician yanked her hair painfully at the roots on purpose.  “What about it?”

Regina laughed knowingly and winked at Belle.  “Come now!  You and I both know that _something_ happened.  And it’s about time too!”

“I really don’t know what you mean,” Belle replied.  Her face felt uncomfortably hot under Regina’s gaze and she wished desperately that she could just go to back to her quarters for the night.  “We watched some movies and then the power went out.”

“Sounds romantic!  Thrust into darkness, forced to sit by candlelight, comforting each other from the earthquake…you can’t honestly expect me to believe that nothing happened.”

“I’m sorry, Regina, but that’s the truth.  After the power went out I convinced Gaston that he would be of more use helping ensure the safety of the guests.  You know how he likes to play the hero, be the center of attention and all.”

Regina scowled and swatted away her hairstylist.  “You mean there weren’t any…heart felt words of endearment?  No startling new revelations in your budding romance?”

“Regina, what are you talking about?”

“He was supposed to tell you he loved you last night!” she seethed.  “Idiot!”

“Oh, but he did, sort of.  I don’t honestly believe he meant it though.”  Belle frowned and looked at her friend.  “Why does it matter to you?”

She quickly smiled toothily in response.  “I just want you to be happy, is all.”

Belle was forced to keep her head straight as large round curlers were inserted through her hair, but she continued to watch Regina furtively through the mirror.  Her expression turned sour as soon as the conversation came to an end.

The make-up artist promptly followed the stylist and immediately began caking her face in heavy foundation.  “I’ve picked out some lovely dark shades for your eyes and a deep red for your lips.  You’ll look wonderful.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Belle stated, moving her head away from the applicator.  “I want a fresh, natural look.  Bronze and browns on the eyes and a soft pink with a gloss on the lips.”

Regina cleared her throat loudly and leaned over her chair.  “Belle, dear.  When you’re wearing black you need color on your face or you’ll look all washed out.”

“I agree, Miss French,” added the expert, bobbing her head repeatedly.  “You simply cannot choose those colors with your dress.”

“I’m not wearing black.  I’ve decided on another dress altogether.”  She personally went through the immense makeup kit and handed over the colors she wanted.  “And my name is Gold!”

“What has gotten into you?” Regina chided her.  “Belle, you have been officially divorced to that no-good criminal for months now!  Don’t you think it’s time to move on?”

“I _have_ moved on with my life.  But Belle French is a stranger to me.  I haven’t been her for almost a decade and I don’t want to go back.  Pretending that my marriage never happened won’t solve anything either.  He was my whole life and I can’t just erase it from my memories.”  Belle nibbled on her lower lip and stared down at her shoes sadly.  “I’m…I’m starting to think I may have given up on him too soon.”

Regina rolled her eyes and huffed.  “I see what’s going on.  He got to you.  Sweetie, he is a con-man!  That’s what he does for a living.  You can’t trust anything he says.  Gaston told me all about the incident at the restaurant so don’t worry!  Security has been alerted and they will protect you from him.  He won’t bother you anymore.”

“That’s really not necessary…”

“I insist!”  replied Regina in a tone that clearly said ‘drop it.’

Belle fell silent as her face was being touched up by the subtle makeup.  She couldn’t help but feel utterly conflicted.  On the one hand, there was Regina, the friend who stood by her when no one else would and gave her a new chance at life.  But then there was Danny who, while constantly twisting his words, rarely ever lied; especially to her. 

She knew that one of them was lying to her; she just didn’t know which. 

“Why did you want me here?” she suddenly asked.  “At the museum, I mean.”

Regina was busy studying her reflection in the heavily lit mirror and didn’t bother to spare a glance.  “I needed someone to oversee the Gallery.”

“Yes, but there are many people out there that are far more qualified.  Why did you want me?”

Her eyes briefly locked with Regina’s cold ones in the mirror.  “Because you’re my friend and I wanted to help you, of course.  You know that.”

Belle took a deep breath and repeated her family mantra in her head for courage; do the brave thing and bravery will follow.

“Did you know my husband?”

“ _Ex_ -husband, dear.”

“You didn’t answer the question,” she insisted.  “Have you ever met Danny Gold before?  A long time ago, perhaps?”

“Of course not, Belle.  What a silly question.”  She stood up and lightly brushed a finger over her dark red lips.  “I have to attend to the arrival of Mrs. Lucas’s package at seven o’clock but I expect to see you at the restaurant when I’m finished.”

“Of course, Regina,” she replied obediently.  She couldn’t help but notice that Regina had not looked her in the eye while answering a seemingly innocent question.   “I’ll be waiting.”

“Give me a smile, Belle.  I have a feeling that my whole life is going to change tonight.”


	18. The Briefcase

Archie Hopper stared blankly at his reflection in the mirror and tried to drown out the sounds of the other men excitedly getting ready in the next room.  They were charged and ready to go, running on adrenaline and copious amounts of coffee.

Archie just felt sick.

He looked around Jefferson’s motel bathroom and wondered what half the bottles of hair product and makeup were for.  The wealthy recluse always seemed so put together and at ease; he made it look effortless.  Apparently he spent more time on his hair than a teenage girl.

He tentatively picked up a bottle of cologne and sniffed it.  It was definitely not something Hopper would wear, but maybe his make-believe counterpart would?  How does a representative of the Gaming Commission behave?  Would he wear a polka-dot tie and sweater vest?  Or should he change into a silk suit?

“You’re overthinking,” warned a voice from the entrance to the bathroom. 

Archie looked up and saw August leaning nonchalantly against the door frame, already dressed in the expensive suit to wear once again as Granny’s bodyguard, his dark sunglasses perched casually atop his head.  “Try to relax.  The most important thing you need to remember is to breathe.”

He inhaled deeply and let it out slowly, feeling much of his anxieties and fears float away in the process.  Clearing his throat loudly, he nodded at his reflection.  “Hi…no, um…hello.  Hello.  My name is Jiminy…Jim….I’m Jim and I would like two…no…I _need_ two minutes…um…”

August frowned at him in concern.  “You don’t lie very much, do you?”

“I’m just a pickpocket.  My parents were the ones who would con the marks while I robbed them blind.  I’ve never really been in this position before.”

“Well I lie for a living so why don’t you let me give you a few pointers.  So.  Where are you going to put your hands?”

He picked up his briefcase and umbrella and held them together in front of him.

“No good,” said August, swiftly shaking his head.

He moved the items to the same hand and shrugged uncomfortably under his friend’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Don’t look at your tie, look at me.  Ok.  I ask you a question and you have to think of the answer.  Where do you look?”

Archie’s eye briefly wandered to his feet. 

“No good.  You look down, she knows your lying.”

His eyes wandered up to the ceiling.

“You look up, she knows you don’t know the truth.  Don’t use seven words when four will do.  Don’t shift your weight.  Look always at your mark but don’t stare.  Be specific, but not memorable.  Be funny but don’t make her laugh.  She’s got to like you then forget about you the moment you’ve left her sight.  And for God’s sake, whatever you do, _don’t_ , under _any_ circumstances…”

“Hey, August!” called Jefferson from the other room. 

“Yeah?”

“We’re up!  It’s time to go!”

August smirked and gave him a quick slap on the arm.  “Good luck and don’t screw up.”

“Wait!” called Archie frantically to their departing forms.  “What is it I’m _not_ to do?”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Neal looked around at the Presidential Suite’s luxury furniture and fantastic view of the ocean and lamented the fact that he hadn’t gotten the chance to use it.  Granny had booked it under the name of Olivia Lucas a couple of days ago so that Regina would have no reason to refuse her unusual request. 

While she had been enjoying the extravagant accommodations and first class amenities, he had been stuck at the two-star motel.  It would have been counterproductive to have the team spotted coming and going from the room so this was the first time he had been inside.

“Is there a mini fridge in here?” he asked Emma, who was busy running checks on all her equipment.

“How can you eat at a time like this?” she asked distractedly.  “I’m way too nervous to even think about food.”

“I could go for pizza!” added Henry excitedly. 

“Storybrooke pizza sucks,” Neal replied.  “Why couldn’t Regina build her casino in New York?  They have the best pizza in the world.”

Henry turned on the TV and started flipping through channels.  “I like the pizza in Boston.  Maybe you could come visit me there sometime when this all over.”

Neal ruffled the boy’s hair and smiled sadly. 

Spending the night with Emma had been pure bliss but there was still a lot of deep hurt and anger that wasn’t about to disappear overnight.  He wasn’t sure if she would even want to see him again once the job was done.  She might decide that the risk of getting hurt again was too great and just disappear with her ten million dollars. 

And Henry. 

Damn. That kid had certainly grown on him.

He shook himself out of his reverie and checked his watch.  “It’s almost seven.  Do you know where Granny is?”

“Huh?” said Emma, screwing another wire into her laptop.  “I think she’s in her room doing her makeup.”

Neal crossed the livingroom and headed down the hall.  This hotel room was larger than his whole apartment!  The bedroom door was wide open but he still felt uncomfortable just walking into his grandmother’s room unannounced. 

He cautiously peeked in first and quickly spotted her sitting at the vanity.  Her hair was perfectly coifed, her makeup simple but elegant.  She was inserting diamond earrings, a wedding gift from her ninth husband if he remembered correctly, and he couldn’t help but appreciate how handsome the older woman still was.  No wonder she never had trouble finding new husbands.

She carefully stood up and adjusted her dress and blazer, admiring the finished look in the mirror.  When she went to grab her purse, however, she swayed slightly and fell back on her chair.  

Neal wanted to run to her side but he knew she was a proud woman and wouldn’t appreciate him seeing her looking old or weak.  He nervously waited as she took a moment to compose herself and take a couple of pills from a small bottle.  She swallowed them dry then closed her eyes, looking somewhat pained. 

“Granny?” he called quietly.  “It’s time to go.”

She nodded her head and smiled weakly.  When she stood this time, she looked strong and tough, like the bad-ass Granny he had always known.

“Let’s do this.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Buses drove into the small seaside town by the dozens, ferrying passengers from all the major centers within a five hundred mile radius.  Scalpers were situated across the crowded wharf illegally selling tickets at ten times what they paid and supply was running out quick.  This historic fight was one for the books and it would certainly put Storybrooke on the map, with the Casino right at the center of it.

The atmosphere was electrifying as hordes of people crammed themselves through the convention center’s doors, all eagerly awaiting a night to remember.  It was loud, frantic, and a bit chaotic. 

Regina thought it was absolute Heaven!

Her high heels clicked rhythmically across the marble floor as she made her way through the hotel lobby.  Her hair and makeup perfectly complimented her designer black dress.  It was fairly conservative compared to her usual apparel but the cut of it was made to show off the priceless diamond necklace that hung perfectly atop her breasts. 

The fact that the jewel had once belonged to Leo’s late wife Eva brought a secret smile to her lips.  Tonight was her night.  She was getting everything she deserved!

Her assistant Mallory caught up to her and together they walked out the door where Mrs. Lucas was patiently waiting by the curb.  Regina instinctively scrutinized the older woman’s clothing and jewelry and noted the expensive designer. 

There was something off about Olivia Lucas but one thing was for sure; she was dripping in money.

“Mrs. Lucas,” she said cordially.  “This is a very busy night for me.  Are we on schedule?”

“I have no reason to suspect otherwise,” replied the older woman gruffly.   “My couriers should be here any minute.”

A non-descript black sedan expertly pulled up to the curb and two finely dressed men in dark suits came out, one handcuffed to a standard sized briefcase.  The dark haired driver unlocked it from his companion and quickly cuffed it around Mrs. Lucas’s wrist.

Regina couldn’t help but appreciate how handsome the two couriers were, especially the one with the perfect hair, and briefly wondered if she could convince them to join her team.  She always enjoyed _breaking in_ new personnel.

“Were you followed?” asked Lucas.

“No, ma’am,” replied the lighter haired guard.  “We took several different routes and switched vehicles like you requested.”

“Well done.  Ms. Mills, if you don’t mind, I would like to get inside as quickly as possible.  The sooner this package is secured in your vault, the better.”

“Of course, Mrs. Lucas.  Please follow me.”

The gaming floors had never before been so congested as fight-goers gambled and drank away the time before the big event, enjoying everything the casino had to offer.  The crowds seem to magically part for the famous owner and her small group as they made their way through the bustling sections.  Between the expensive attire of the ladies and the foreboding bodyguards flanking them, they were quite the sight to behold.

The name Regina literally meant Queen and she certainly felt like one tonight, surrounded by peasants and noblemen alike, all looking at her with abject awe.  She was the center of attention, just like it had been when she was a world renowned model. 

Her critical eyes quickly spotted the wealthier patrons among the horde, easily picking out those with expensive tastes and compared them to her own accessories.  None even came close. 

It was then that the glimmer of pure gold to her left caught her attention.  At closer inspection, she realized that it belonged on the top of a simple black cane, its owner leaning conspicuously against a set of machines, downing a drink.  He looked slightly frazzled and a little drunk.

Regina quickly motioned for Mal.  “Tell Sidney that Mr. Gold is in the West Slots.  Now.” 

“Right away, Regina.”  The blonde assistant immediately veered off from the group to speak privately into her ear piece. 

Meanwhile, Mrs. Lucas and her two bodyguards faltered behind, exchanging a look too quick for her to ascertain.  “Is something the matter?”

The older woman quickly steeled her features and shook her head.  “No.  Of course not.  I just thought we should wait for your associate to return.”

“No.  She has a security matter to attend to now.  Speaking of which, I’m afraid I can’t have any private security personnel in the casino cages.  Your men will have to stay out here.”

Mrs. Lucas opened her mouth to respond but before she had a chance to speak, an elderly man wearing a garish flowery shirt and beige pants blocked their path.  He removed his sunglasses, held his arms out wide and smiled toothily.  “Beverly! Sweetheart!  I thought that was you!” 

Regina stared suspiciously at the two seniors as Mrs. Lucas had suddenly turned a disturbing shade of white.  “Beverly?  I thought your name was Olivia.”

Olivia Lucas cleared her throat loudly and stammered.  “It is.  This man is mistaken.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked, seeming genuinely confused.  “Don’t you remember me, beautiful?  We had dinner once back in Ft. Lauderdale, at the Ocean View Retirement Complex.  I seem to recall you found me to be quite witty.”  

Mrs. Lucas nodded her head quickly to her two guardians.  “Take out the trash, boys.  I don’t have time to deal with senile old men tonight.”

Her bodyguards stepped in to deal with the nuisance, each scooping an arm under his armpits and dragged him away despite his cries of protest.  Regina continued to stare at Granny skeptically. 

“Ms. Mills, if you don’t mind?” She lifted the briefcase and gestured to the handcuffs still shackled to her.  “I have never enjoyed the feeling of chains around my wrist.”

Regina raised her eyebrows in mock indignation.  “Funny.  That’s exactly how I prefer to spend my Friday nights.  Follow me.”

The two ladies passed through the casino cage doors and into a maze of corridors.  She guided her guest to a large glassed office where two red jacketed employees were counting and stacking hundreds of thousands of dollars of bills to be bound and labeled.  This was known as the cash office and it was the second most secured place in the casino besides the vault itself.

She gestured for Mrs. Lucas to place the briefcase on a table where she swiftly uncuffed it from her body and opened it for Regina’s inspection.  Inside were four of the largest and most beautiful emeralds she had ever seen!  They were absolutely perfect.  After feeling around inside to verify there were no hidden objects, she nodded in satisfaction.

“All right, Mrs. Lucas.  I acknowledge that your briefcase does not contain any dangerous or elicit material, and I further agree to take custody of said briefcase and store it in my secure vault for a period of twenty four hours.  Now, I cannot allow you to actually accompany the briefcase to the vault…”

“What?” she demands crossly.  “Why is that?”

Regina studied the older woman carefully.  “Insurance for one, security another, but most of all…I just don’t trust you.”

Mrs. Lucas grinned appreciatively at her bold assessment. 

A knock on the door drew her attention away.  “Excuse me, please.”

One of her favorite pets, Gaston, had just walked in and nodded respectfully to Mrs. Lucas.  He approached Regina and smirked in satisfaction.  “I have two plain-clothes on Gold now.  He’s walking through the bar as we speak.  I want him.”

“No.  Security can handle him.  I need you to take care of this before the fight.  Mrs. Lucas?  I would like you to meet my Casino Manager, Gaston Chevalier.  If you will allow him, he will arrange to have your briefcase escorted into our secured vault while you watch on our monitors.  Those are my terms.  Do you accept them?”

She sighed heavily and handed him the briefcase.  “You leave me no choice.” 

Regina glanced at her watch in irritation, noting how quickly time was passing.  Mallory then walked in and handed her the daily black portfolio which contained the new security codes.

“Don’t let me keep you, Ms. Mills,” said Mrs. Lucas.  “I understand this is a very important night for you.”

“Thank you.  You have no idea.”

She marched out the doors, her mind on Belle who was most likely waiting in the restaurant and that bastard Danny Gold, who dared to enter her little kingdom. 

He had been responsible for taking away the love of her life and now she was repaying the favor. She had been manipulating Belle so much ever since his arrest that the girl barely knew who she was anymore. 

Knowing that his true love was alive but no longer wanted him was a fate worse than death.  Oh how revenge was sweet!

 


	19. Truth and Lies

Neal and Emma watched transfixed on their monitors as Granny and Regina walked through the casino cage doors as August and Jefferson dragged an irate old man wearing a flowery shirt outside the building. 

“Who the Hell was that guy?” asked Emma.

“I think he may have been a candidate for husband number thirteen,” replied Neal.  “I just hope Granny was able to talk her way out of that or we’re in big trouble.”

As if they’re nerves weren’t frayed enough, a sudden and insistent knock at the door had them jumping out of their seats.  Neal called out cautiously on his way to the entrance.  “Who is it?”

“Room service!” said two giggling female voices from the hall.

He peeked through the spy hole and smiled.  “I don’t remember ordering any room service.”

The door opened to reveal Ruby and Mary Margaret dressed as service personnel in white kitchen uniforms pushing a linen covered cart.  Ruby looked over at Emma on the couch and raised her eyebrows mischievously.  “Or perhaps you’d prefer turn-down service instead?”

“Why would we need to go bed now?” asked Henry, his head suddenly popping up from behind his fort of cushions.  “We’re in the middle of a heist!”

Mary Margaret cleared her throat awkwardly as she pushed the heavy cart inside the room.  Ruby swiftly removed the wine glasses and bottle of champagne as Neal eagerly sprung for the silver domed tray.  He opened it with a flourish only to discover it was empty.  “Aww!  You didn’t bring any real food?”

“What do I look like, a waitress?” groaned Ruby.  She rolled her eyes and handed Emma the small vase of flowers.   “We just needed a way to sneak _this_ into the room without being seeing.”

She removed the linen cloth to reveal one of Regina’s golden cash carts that is used to transport money throughout the casino.

“So?” asked Mary Margaret, looking at the master-mind’s son expectantly.  “What now?”

Neal rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced.  “Now’s the part you ladies are not going to like.  Henry?  You’re up.”

“Yes!” he roared as he pumped his tiny fist into the air.  He ran to the cart and began to climb inside.

“Whoa!” cried Emma.  She grabbed him around the waist and pivoted to the side, holding him away from the cart as he struggled against her.  “What are you doing?”

“Emma,” Neal pleaded softly.  “This is all part of my father’s plan.  It’s the only way.”

“His plan was to use my son this whole time? ”  Her voice raised in pitch with every syllable until she was practically screaming.  “That no good, selfish son of a bitch!”

“It wasn’t his idea, Emma.  It was mine!” added Henry proudly.  “I volunteered.  I’m calling it _Operation Cobra_!  Cool, huh?”

“Cool?” she cried.  “No! No, this is not cool!  This is not some Comic Book, Henry! This is real life!  It’s too dangerous.  He’s not doing it.”

“Emma!  Emma, just calm down,” Mary Margaret said soothingly.  “I don’t believe Mr. Gold would ever put Henry in jeopardy.  I’ve seen them together.  He’s obviously fond of the boy and the last thing he would want would be to hurt him.”

“My father created an airtight cover story in case something goes wrong and Henry has memorized it,” added Neal quietly.  “He’s ten.  Nothing bad will happen to him.  We made you a promise when we got you involved in this; no one gets left behind.  Now I’ll be the first to admit that my father can be a bastard sometimes but he’s also a man of his word.  And so am I.”

Her shoulders slumped in acquiescence and Henry whooped loudly.  Neal swiftly picked the growing boy up and placed him carefully inside the small cart.  It was a snug fit and no possible way an adult could sit inside.

“I got you a few supplies, Henry,” he said with a smile.  “A flashlight, a small tank of oxygen in case it gets a little hard to breathe, some comic books and a couple of Apollo chocolate bars.  Ready?”

“I was born ready!”

“Wait!” cried Emma, rushing to the cart.  She tenderly cupped Henry’s face with her hands and gently kissed him on his forehead.  “I love you, kid.”

Henry wiggled in his mother’s grasp and groaned.  “MOM!  You’re embarrassing me in front of Neal!”

Emma bravely held it together as her son was sealed inside an airtight cart.  She never said a word as Ruby re-covered it with the white linens and placed the platter and flowers back on top.  She was fine as they rolled it out of the room to deliver it to the most secured vault ever created.

Once she and Neal were alone, however, she completely broke down into hysterics.  All Neal could do was hold her tightly and rub her back soothingly as she began to hyperventilate.  “It’s alright, sweetheart.  Just calm down, okay?  Everything will be fine.”

“I’m a terrible mother!” she sobbed.

“Hey!  That’s not true!  You may be new at this whole parent thing, but you’re doing a great job.  Henry’s terrific.”

“Neal?” she sniffed nervously.  “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.  Henry…he’s… he’s my son.”

“Yeah, I know that,” he replied, frowning.  “And he’s a great kid.  You did a wonderful thing when you adopted him.”

Emma shook her head violently and refused to look him in the eye.  “No.  You don’t understand.  He’s _my_ son!  I gave birth to him in jail.”

Neal continued to stare at her questioningly until her words finally sunk into his thick skull.   He tried to do the math in his head but the blood pumping in his ears made it very difficult to concentrate. 

“Are you telling me that Henry…is he _my_ son?”

“Yes.  He is your son.  He is o _ur_ son.”  Tears flowed freely down her beautiful cheeks as she struggled to speak.  “I thought you had abandoned me and I was all alone. There was no way I could raise a child on my own!  I’m so sorry but I had no choice.”

“No choice in what?  What are you saying?”

“I gave him up,” she wailed.  She gathered up the front on his shirt in a death grip as she pleaded with him to understand.  “Your father found out about it somehow and tracked Henry down right before he went off to prison.  I wanted him to have his best chance but when Gold saw that Henry wasn’t getting it he contacted me and convinced me to legally adopt him.  He’s been with me ever since.”

“This is…wow.  This is too much.  Give me a minute.”  Neal stepped away from his ex-girlfriend and love of his life and tried not to cry.  He ran his hand over his mouth then heaved a heavy sigh that seemed to lift an incredible burden from his shoulders.

He had a son!  He had a ten year old son that had been raised by strangers for most of his life.  And he had missed all of it!  Well he wasn’t about to miss one more minute of that sweet boy’s life.  He was willing to fight for him if it came to that.  He had completely fallen in love with that kid and he was not about to let him slip through his fingers.

The worst thing that had ever happened to him was being separated from his father for years.  He wasn’t about to let that happen with his own son. 

“Is there anything else you’ve been keeping from me?” he demanded a little harshly.

“Yes,” she replied honestly.  “Just one other thing.  I lied to you.”

“Yeah, I can see that!”

She shook her head sadly.  “No.  I mean the night that you and Gold came to recruit me.  You asked if I had made a wish on my birthday cupcake and I said no.  Well, I had.  I had wished that I could give Henry the family he deserved…and then you showed up!  Now suddenly he has this large, loving yet completely dysfunctional family and I don’t want him to lose that!  _I_ don’t want to lose that.”

Neal hesitated only a second before crossing the distance between them and gathered her up in his arms.  He ran his hand through her hair and kissed her head as she cried softly in his embrace. “That kid’s going to need a lot of therapy when we’re done here.”

She laughed thickly and smiled.  “We all will!  If we get out of here, that is.”

“Oh my God!”  He took a step back and raised her chin so he could look her in the eye.  “I just sealed our son in box and sent him to a vault that we’re going to blow up!”

They quickly ran back to the half dozen monitors and carefully watched the cart’s progress through the hotel.  Neal reached out and grabbed onto Emma’s hand. 

She squeezed back even tighter.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Mr. Gold sat at the counter sipping his Johnny Walker and looked around at the other patrons indifferently.  He had spotted the two underlings in plain clothes that Regina had set on him the moment they had entered the bar.  She was so utterly predictable.  It was a wonder she had managed to be as successful as she was given her complete lack of imagination.

For now the minions tailing him were keeping to themselves while watching his every move.  They too lacked subtlety, which is why he knew his team would ultimately succeed.     

Regina, and the people she had working for her, were all idiots.

He quickly dismissed all thoughts of his nemesis from his mind as his new objective walked through his line of sight.  His breath hitched in his throat as the love of his life confidently walked past the opened double doors of the bar on her way to the restaurant.  He continued to watch her as she passed the glass walls, admiring her from every angle.

She was a vision in gold. 

Her knee length dress shimmered in the light like thousands of diamonds ensconced in pure gold.  It came up to her throat yet left her shoulders and arms completely bare.  The back, God bless her, was open, revealing her perfect porcelain skin all the way down to the small of her back.  Her two inch heels accentuated her already amazing legs as well as giving her some extra height.  Her chestnut chair was half up, leaving perfect ringlets to cascade down her back while keeping the bulk of it off of her face.  Gone was the dark makeup that she had been wearing of late, no doubt on Regina’s insistence.  Instead, she was painted simply in her signature neutral colors that accentuated her best features.

She had no need to hide behind cosmetics.  She was a rare, natural beauty that needed no embellishments.

Her only accessories were the diamond earrings that he had given her for their first anniversary and a simple purse that hung loosely around her right shoulder down to her waist.

He quickly downed the rest of his Scotch and straightened his tie.  If Neal was following his schedule, Archie should be keeping Regina occupied for a short while.  He may only have a few moments and he was going to make them count.

 

~8~8~8~ 

 

“Try to relax, Archie,” said a deep voice in his earpiece.  “You look like you’re guilty of something.”

Archie was hanging out around the west slot machines trying to blend in while awaiting his mark.  He whispered into his lapel mike in an attempt to move his lips as little as possible.  “I’m too nervous.  I can’t do this.”

“You’ll do fine,” added Emma reassuringly.  “You’re a natural.”

“Thanks.”

“Just don’t screw up!” warned Neal.

Archie looked directly into the round security camera in the ceiling and frowned.   “Thanks again.”

He moved his head from side to side to ease his tense muscles and heard the bones crack in response.  He shook out his arms and flexed his fingers.  He could do this.  He had been stealing since he was old enough to walk.  This was easy.  This was what he was born to do.

Quite literally.  His parents were just awful people.

He took a moment to think of his deadbeat parents who he had seen pilfering a dying man’s pockets for loose change.  He wasn’t like them.  He was nothing like them.  And now was his big chance to prove it.

“The Queen is leaving the castle.  Good luck.”

That was the signal that Regina was finished with Granny, or Mrs. Lucas as she was known as tonight, and was heading his way.  He took a deep calming breath and let it out slowly, finishing just as Regina walked out of the secured cage doors.

She was a beautiful woman, dressed completely in black.  His fingers itched to remove her diamond necklace that hung elegantly around her neck but he quickly dismissed the thought.  Now was not the time for trinkets.  He was after something far more valuable.

In her hands she held the black portfolio that contained the codes to the outer doors of the vault.

“Regina Mills?” he said confidently as he approached her, a business card in hand.  “My name is Jim Shrink and I work for the New England Gaming Commission.  I’m afraid I need a few minutes of your time.”

She sighed heavily and checked her watch.  “Will this take long?  This is a very busy night for me and I have a dinner schedule to keep before the fight.”

“I promise this won’t take long,” he replied pleasantly.  “Would you please accompany me to the Blackjack tables?”

“Of course,” she said dryly.  “Anything for the NEGC.”


	20. No Turning Back

Regina inwardly groaned as she followed the representative of the New England Gaming Commission to the Blackjack tables.  Talk about lousy timing!  It was bad enough that she was going to be late for dinner with Belle on such an important night but she hated the thought of Mr. Gold sneaking around her facilities, trying to reconnect with his ex-wife. 

That girl had started to get some of her spunk back and she did not like that one bit!  It had taken almost two years of careful manipulation for Belle to finally give in and send that bastard divorce papers and she wasn’t about to let it see it all go to waste now. 

Gaining her trust had been so simple.  Then it had been no trouble at all to hack into her computer and delete emails from her friends and family members, specifically Gold’s son, Baelfire.  She had never been able to ascertain his whereabouts or his new name (the boy was too careful, even in sending emails to his beloved step-mother) but by clearing them from her inbox, Regina had swiftly conned Belle into thinking that everyone had abandoned her.

The thought made her giggle.

Running late to her own grand event, however, made her seethe inside!  If this Jim Shrink were not a member of the NEGC she would have squashed him like the insignificant bug that he was.  Fortunately for him, she needed to keep on the organization’s good side in order to keep her gaming license.

They walked through the busiest parts of the casino to the somewhat quieter gaming tables.  She could see in the distance her security guards Killian and Claude conversing with the handsome Blackjack dealer that Mal had taken out to dinner.  She could certainly see the appeal.  He was definitely handsome, especially in his well-fitting dealer’s uniform. 

 _I bet he looks even better without it_ , she thought devilishly.  Unfortunately it looked like she wouldn’t get the chance to steal him away; not if he was in trouble with the NEGC.

“I’m sorry but this matter has just come to our attention this morning,” said the cockroach next to her.  She had already forgotten his name.  “Apparently this man has a rap sheet longer than my…uh…well, let’s just say it’s quite long.” 

Regina frowned at his poor taste in humor and continued to stare at him coldly. 

He coughed awkwardly and looked away.   “Wow.  Crickets.” 

She waited impatiently for her guards to escort the handsome dealer to her, wanting to be as far away from this idiot as possible.  In the meantime, she opened up her black portfolio and carefully tucked the new vault codes into an inside breast pocket of her long black jacket.  When she looked up, she caught the insufferable man staring at her chest!

His face turned as red as his hair when he realized he had been caught staring.  “That’s…um… that’s quite an impressive rack…I mean rock!  Diamond!  That’s a beautiful diamond.  Ma’am.”

He cleared his throat loudly as the accused was finally brought before them.   “James Prince?  I’m with the New England Gaming Commission.”

“What’s going on?” asked James, frowning in confusion.  

 “It’s come to our attention that when you…”

“Ahem!” interrupted Regina.  Really, is the man a complete idiot?  “I think it would be better if we speak _off_ the floor and not do this in front of my guests.  Follow me.”    

Openly grimacing now at the situation, she guided the small group back towards the cage doors.  Now she was really going to be late.  Gaston’s men had better be keeping a close eye on Gold or there will be Hell to pay.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Belle smiled graciously at the Maître D’ as he ushered her to her usual table where her usual red wine had already been decanted.  She did not feel like smiling.  Not tonight.  In fact, she felt like she wanted to curl up and have a good cry. 

Oh, how she hated what had become of her life!  She barely even recognized herself anymore.  To think, she was spending the evening watching two sweaty, smelly men beat the crap out of the other and calling it a sport!

At least she was not dressed and painted up like Regina tonight.  That black lacy dress was far too racy for her tastes.  No.  Tonight she was going as Belle Gold, sophisticated Museum Curator and not as some tawdry sidekick.

“Excuse me,” she said to her escort.  “Could you please bring me a glass of white wine instead?”

“White?” His polite smile could not mask the sudden alarm protruding underneath.  “But Ms. Mills _always_ orders the red.”

Regina was certainly threatened by change.  She wanted everything to be the exactly the same, day in, day out, so that she was always in control.  Maybe it was time for Belle to gain some of that control as well.  “I thought I might try something different for a change.  You know…live dangerously!”

She watched as the poor man retreated to fetch the wine quickly, most likely in the hopes that she would consume it before his boss had a chance to see her drinking it.  Regina certainly invoked quite a lot of fear in her employees.

Her eyes travelled across the dimly lit restaurant as her gaze moved towards the picturesque windows.  That’s when she saw something that made her look twice; standing by the door, looking as dapper and in control as ever, was her husband.

All around her, the sounds of clattering plates and idle conversation seemed to stop as their eyes locked.  She heard nothing; nothing but the beating of her own heart.  A strange buzz filled her ears and her chest swelled with…something.  Surprise?  Joy?  Love? 

No.  It was panic. 

She was suddenly overcome with abject fear for what Regina or Gaston might do if security were to see him.  She wasn’t naïve.  She had seen the poster.  He was Priority Number One and every eye and ear in the building would be out for his blood.

She had to get him out of here.  She had to save him.

Rising quickly to her feet, she looked around in a panic as she made her way between the tables to stand by his side.   Her fingers instinctively entwined with his warm ones.

“No, Danny!” she whispered furiously.  “You can’t be here!  Everyone is looking for you.  You have to leave while you still can!”

He smiled at her sadly and tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear.  “It’s all right, love.  I know what I’m doing.”

“And what exactly are you doing?” she demanded.  “If this is some way to…to win me back after everything that’s happened….”

Gold held up a hand and shook his head.  “No.  That’s not why I’m here.  I came to say goodbye.”

The air rushed out of Belle’s lungs like a swift punch in the stomach.  What did he mean by that? 

“Goodbye?” she repeated, a lump forming in her throat.

He picked up her hand and softly ran his thumb over her small knuckles.  “You were right about me.  I am a coward. I have been my whole life.  Honesty has never been the best color on me but I’ve been trying it on lately, just for you.  I’m glad I had the chance the other night to explain my actions, explain why I lied and did what I did.  You have no idea how incredibly sorry I am to have hurt you.  I just…I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you again, without you first knowing… everything.”

Moisture threatened to spill from her eyes and her throat constricted painfully.  She was at a loss.  She didn’t know what to think, what to say, how to feel.   She was so confused.

“Goodbye, Belle,” he whispered. 

His arms encircled her in a tender embrace, lingering around her waist.  His lips hesitantly touched her cheek, then withdrew quickly, as though her flushed skin had somehow burned him.  With one last gentle caress, he was gone.

She stared ahead blankly, too stunned to react. 

Oh no! she thought morosely. What had she done?

 

~8~8~8~

 

Gold took a deep, cleansing breath as he walked away from her, willing himself not to cry in the middle of the damn restaurant.  That had been much harder than he had anticipated.  Letting her go had been the most difficult thing he had ever done in his life. 

But it had to be done.

He sniffed loudly and withdrew his monogrammed handkerchief.  He lingered for just a few seconds in the alcove where he knew no security cameras could see him.  He needed a brief moment to compose himself before limping out into the lobby and once again reprising the role of the stoic and sophisticated businessman.

“Mr. Gold?” demanded a giant, beefy man suddenly appearing in front of him.  He was dressed in beige slacks, a crisp white shirt and had a large radio earpiece attached to the side of his head.  If that wasn’t obvious enough, he was accompanied by another similarly sized man dressed exactly the same way.

“Ms. Mills would like a word with you,” gruffly added the second thug.

He snorted mockingly.  “Yes.  I thought she might.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Archie tried valiantly not to tremble as he walked alongside the foreboding presence of Regina Mills through the crowded gaming floor.  The heavy metallic cage door slowly closed behind them with a loud ominous thump that sent chills down his spine.

He was committed now.  There was no turning back.

David was doing a great job pretending to be confused and irritated by the sudden summons.  He walked directly behind the Casino owner and the bogus representative of the NEGC, with the security guards Killian and Claude flanking his rear.  Archie surreptitiously turned to his head to glance at his co-conspirator to see that he walked with his head bowed and fists clenched at his sides. 

If he didn’t know any better he’d swear that David looked nervous.

That was impossible though.  David, or James as he was known as right now, was the bravest man he had ever met.  Unlike himself, he was an excellent con-man and actor.

He winced as he replayed the recent conversation with Regina in mind.  August had warned him not to stare and what was the first thing he did?  He got caught staring as she placed the vault codes into her jacket.  He had meant to play it cool by complimenting her diamond necklace but it sat so snugly on top of her revealing breasts that he became distracted for just a split second. 

Hopefully Neal hadn’t heard his Freudian slip or he’d never hear the end of it!

They made several turns through the maze of whimsical black and white corridors and Archie did his best to keep track of their movements.  Regina led them to a glassed enclosed board room with a long mahogany table and a dozen chairs.  Instead of claiming the power seat, she opted to stand off to the side to watch the proceedings. 

“Take a seat, Mr. Prince,” she commanded.  He immediately sat in the center of the table and swiveled his chair to face them.

“James Prince.  Or should I call you…David Nolan?” Archie grinned smugly as he opened his briefcase and removed a file with a flourish.  Removing two sheets of paper from the folder, he placed one in front of the accused and handed the copy to Regina.  It was Showtime!  “You are David Nolan, a former guest of the New York State Penitentiary system, are you not?” 

David placed his fingertips on top of the page and gently slid it away from him without giving it a second glance.  He then turned all of his attention to his nails.

“I take it from your silence that you are not going to refute that,” continued Archie.  “Your arrest record is quite impressive, I must say; petty larceny, shoplifting, identity theft, breaking and entering, etcetera, etcetera.  Ms. Mills, I’m afraid you have been employing an ex-convict which, as I’m sure you are aware, is a violation of the NEGC Code 108.”

If looks could kill, David would be a smoldering pile of ash.  Regina’s nostrils flared as held up the rap sheet.  “Is this true?” she demanded quietly.

“Ex-convicts can’t make a decent wage in this country,” David mumbled sadly.  “This is supposed to be the land of opportunity for Christ’s sake and I can’t even get a job cleaning up dog shit in an animal shelter now!”

Archie sat on the edge of the table, directly in front of Regina, and removed his glasses to clean them on his polka dot tie.  “Maybe if you had applied yourself in your youth instead of turning to a life of crime you wouldn’t be in this predicament right now.”

“Like I had a choice!  I had a sick, widowed mother to support and the government was too corrupt to help us out.   There was no other option at the time.”

“There is _always_ another option.  Giving in to one’s dark side is never the answer.”

“And how many meals has a clear conscience bought?” David’s fist came crashing down upon the table with a resounding crack.  “We were practically starving!  I did what I had to do to help my family.  I paid the price and did my time.  It’s not fair that I continue to be punished for it.  I’m an honorable man, Ms. Mills.  All I want is an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work and there’s no way I can get that unless I lie about who I am.”

“I’m sure District Attorney Spencer would disagree with that.”  He leaned in close to the blackjack dealer and smiled grimly.  “I plan on personally reporting this to him.  He’ll have your head.”

Archie yelped like a frightened puppy as David lunged across the table, hands clawing for his throat.  He narrowly managed to avoid being strangled by jumping from his precarious perch on the table and colliding head on with Regina.

“Get off of me!” she cried as he hid behind her long black coat.

During the brief struggle, she never noticed his nimble fingers reaching into her inside pocket.  She turned her back on the cowering NEGC officer as she berated David for his unprofessional outburst.  Archie smiled in relief and quickly nodded to his accomplice.

He had the codes.  They were good to go.

 


	21. Packages

Ruby casually leaned against some metal shelving in the linen closet and absent mindedly sucked on a cherry lollypop.  She furtively watched Mary Margaret pace back and forth next to the cash cart within the tiny confined space, checking her watch every thirty seconds.

“Relax, sweetie,” she said.  “They will call us when it’s time.”

“It’s been forever!” Mary Margaret moaned, tugging on the collar of the kitchen uniform.  “Henry could be suffocating in this thing!”

“It’s been less than ten minutes since we left the hotel room.  Besides, he has a tank of oxygen and some chocolate bars.  He’s fine.”  She frowned as her new best friend undid the top buttons of her jacket and began to sweat profusely.  “But you’re obviously not.  Are you okay?”

“I’m a little claustrophobic,” she gasped.  “When I was a child I snuck out of bed to watch the movie _The Vanishing_ with my nanny, Johanna.  Ever since then, I’ve been terrified of being buried alive.  I don’t like small, dark places.”

“Fine.  So let’s keep your mind occupied then.” She wiggled her perfectly manicured eyebrows suggestively.  “Did you and David have a little _private time_ before his shift started this afternoon?”

“Ruby!” she cried, sounding scandalized.  “There is a ten year old boy sitting in that cart next to you.”

“He can’t hear us,” Ruby replied.  “He’s locked in an airtight container.”

Mary Margaret moaned loudly and started fanning herself with a pillow case.  “Oh, dear Lord.  Don’t remind me.”

“Ruby?” called a male voice over her earpiece.  “Come in, Ruby.”

“We hear you loud and clear, Neal,” she replied into the sleeve at her wrist.  “Talk to me.”

“Archie got the codes.  It’s time to deliver the package.”

“You got it, boss.”

The two friends immediately removed their room service outfits and slipped on the red blazers they had hidden within the stored bed sheets.  Mary Margaret inserted a clip into her hair that instantly gave her a long, black ponytail.  Ruby, meanwhile, took out an elastic and quickly put her hair up into a professional looking bun and attached her fake ID card to the lapel.

She grabbed hold of Mary Margaret’s upper arm before she opened the door and gazed at her in concern.  “You _sure_ you’re up to this?”

“Regina took everything from me,” she replied grimly.  “It’s time to return the favor.”

Satisfied, Ruby opened the door and stepped aside as Mary Margaret pushed the heavy metal cart through.  They quickly turned into the nearest elevator and pressed the button for the main floor.  After a very quick descent, the doors parted and together they walked out into the garish lights and mind-numbing bells and whistles of the gaming floor.

“Don’t look around too much,” whispered Ruby from the corner of her mouth, “It might raise suspicions.  The key is to act like we own the place.  We belong here.  Can you do that?”

Beside her, the shorter woman took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders.  “Absolutely.”

They walked past the crowded gaming tables where David was nowhere to be seen and through the bustling slot machines where desperate souls spent the last of their change, hoping for a miracle to happen.

Too soon they reached the cage doors were a handsome dark skinned man in a black suit stood guard.  Ruby flashed him a quick smile as she dug into her pockets while Mary Margaret fidgeted irritably next to her. 

“Uh oh!” she whispered.  Turning to Mary Margaret with a look of shock on her face, she said, “I forgot the pass card!”

“What?” she exclaimed crossly. She ran a hand over her mouth and groaned in exasperation. “How could you forget the card?  You knew we needed it!”

“I’m so sorry!” she wailed.  Thick tears immediately started to spill from her brown eyes and she swatted at them impatiently.  “I screw everything up!”

“God!  You are so stupid!” cried Mary Margaret loudly.   “Why do I always get paired up with you?  You are so useless!”

All around them, the casino guests stopped to stare at the two incredibly unprofessional employees.   The once stoic guard now stared in open mouth horror as he hopelessly tried to shush the two arguing ladies. 

“I said I’m sorry!  You don’t have to be so mean and hurt my feelings!  You used to be so nice but now you’re just a black-hearted bitch!”

“Hey!” The guard raised his arms out to create some distance between them but Mary Margaret continued to shout out insults at her partner.  Ruby now cried openly while a hundred gamblers stopped wasting their money on the machines to watch the brutal exchange of words instead.  “Enough!  Just…tell me where this cart is from.”

“It’s from the High Rollers Room,” said Mary Margaret, sending Ruby a scathing look. 

“Fine.”  He looked around desperately until he found another employee wearing a red blazer.  “Greg!  Over here.  I need you to take this cart in for me, okay?”

“Sure thing, Lance.”  The slightly balding man withdrew his pass card and swiped it across the pad.  Once it had turned green, he took the cart from Ruby and pushed it towards the open door.  “Is this headed to the cash office?”

“No,” Lance replied.  “The VIP money goes directly to the vault.  And don’t forget to input your fingerprint ID in the elevator this time.  Security is tied up because of the boxing match tonight so if you don’t you’ll be trapped in there a while.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he mumbled, disappearing through the opening.  The heavy metal door closed with a loud clunk that reverberated through the carpeted floor.

Lance turned his wary gaze back to them and huffed loudly.  “As for you two…”

“We’re really sorry,” implored Mary Margaret.

“It’ll never happen again, Lance,” added Ruby.  “We swear!”

“Next time, just remember your card and we won’t run into this problem, okay?”

They turned away and walked as quickly as they could without raising suspicions.  Once safely out of earshot, Ruby raised her wrist to her mouth.  “Package has been delivered.  Henry is on his way.”

“We’re tracking him on the monitors now,” replied Emma.  “Good work.”

They continued to walk until they reached one of the many alcoves that would hide them from the cameras and quickly removed their red blazers.  After stuffing them inside a large garbage can, they fixed their hair back to their natural state, put on some overlarge sunglasses and re-adjusted the tight outfits they had on hidden underneath.

Ruby flung her arm around Mary Margaret’s shoulders while she in turn got one around the waist.  Looking very much like any other out of town couple, they walked out of the alcove with their heads together, resembling nothing like the bickering co-workers they had just been.

 

~8~8~8~

 

The march through the labyrinth of corridors had tired Granny out far more than she was ever willing to admit and by the time she reached the Security Room her legs were shaking from the effort.  She attempted to steady her ragged breathing but with no luck.  Her guide’s stride was simply far too long for the petite woman to keep up and her chest now ached from exertion.

She gratefully leaned against a sturdy railing near the entrance for a brief rest, all under the guise of looking around the expansive monitoring room.  She marveled at the sheer number of computer screens that covered the wall and was momentarily taken aback by the amount of equipment Regina had working for her.

The woman was either very careful or very paranoid.

Three black suited employees each sat at their own consoles, their eyes darting back and forth across the hundreds of images that flashed before them while relaying instructions to the guards on the gaming floor.  Granny could not make heads or tails of it but she knew that Emma would be in absolute heaven here.

“Impressive, isn’t it?  This is the heart of the whole operation.  It’s the biggest of its kind on the East coast,” boasted Gaston, placing a hand on her shoulder.  He towered over her, forcing her to throw her head back to gaze up into his face.  She was instantly overcome with the nauseating feeling of vertigo.  Damn, he was tall!  “And Ms. Mills always prefers the _biggest_ and the best.  Isn’t that right Mr. Glass?”

The Head of Security still sported a shiner from his run in with David and his lip looked the worse for wear.  His gray suit was a bit disheveled, like he had just rolled out of bed wearing it, and the unmistakable scent of stale whiskey wafted towards her as he spoke.  “Well Gaston, if you knew _anything_ about equipment, you’d know that the bigger and bulkier they are, the slower and less efficient they are.  The best equipment comes in smaller packages.”

Her first instinct was to kick the two bastards in both of their _packages_ for daring to touch Belle and Mary Margaret, but she buried the feeling deep.  She had a job to do.  Plus her legs were too weak at the moment to reasonably hurt them.  Instead Mrs. Lucas smiled graciously at the Casino Manager and fantasized about hunting the giant down with her crossbow on a deserted island.

“That’s all very fascinating, Mr. Chevalier.  However I am only interested in _my_ package.  I can’t find a thing on these damn screens.  Which one is it?”

“Of course, Mrs. Lucas.  Bring it up on the main screen.”

The image on the largest of the monitors suddenly changed from a poker table to that of a long hallway.  A solitary man carrying the precious briefcase marched towards an elevator. 

“See?” asked Gaston.  “There’s Kurt with your briefcase now.  It’s in safe hands, Mrs. Lucas.”

Kurt reached the elevator and held it open while another red-blazered employee rolled a golden cash cart down the hall.  Once he too entered it, the image changed to an overhead view from inside the lift.

She was surprised that they had audio as well as visual.  She listened to the idle chit chat of Kurt and a young man named Greg catch up and watched as one of them inserted their pass card and pressed his thumb against a pad for instant identification.  Once the computer assessed his clearance, the elevator began its long descent into the Casino’s underbelly.

Henry and the briefcase were now on their way to the vault. 

Granny sighed heavily and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead.  The pain in her chest suddenly increased enough to make her wince.  She reached into her purse for her pills and noticed that her left arm had started tingling. 

By the time she managed to swallow the pills, her hand felt completely numb.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Neal took a sip of his bottled water and wished to God that it was a beer instead.  His nerves were completely frayed.  So far everything was going according to plan but he knew their luck couldn’t last forever.  The slightest wrong move could ruin them all.

And now that he knew it was his own son hidden away in the cash cart he couldn’t sit still.  Every nerve in his entire body screamed for him to force his way through the army of security guards and retrieve his boy before something bad could happen.

But they were committed now.  There was no turning back.

At least Emma seemed to be faring better than he.  She was one hundred percent focused on the tasks at hand, making sure every con was in play on time.  It was the only way she could protect her child and nothing would deter her.

“Take a look,” she said, pointing to one of her monitors.  “Both packages are on their way to the vault.”

Neal let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and ran his hand over Emma’s back.  “Okay.  Okay that’s good.  Get ready to hack into their surveillance and switch the feeds.  Listen carefully for the signal.”

He picked up one of the bulky walkie-talkies meant for long distances and pressed down on the button.  “Jefferson?  We’re almost ready for you.  What’s you status?”

The reply came back quickly, much to Neal’s relief.  “I’m just connecting the last of the car batteries now.  As long as I don’t electrocute myself I should be good to go.”

Neal licked his parched lips. “Are you sure you can make it work?”

“Not if you keep interrupting me!” came the gruff reply.  “Just let me work my magic.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Archie heaved a huge sigh of relief as he safely tucked the vault codes into his breast pocket.  Getting them had been easy.  Now it was time for the hard part. 

“Killian! Claude!  Get in here!” Regina cried. 

The two guards who had escorted David from his Blackjack table immediately walked in and glared at the sullen looking dealer.

“Escort Mr. Prince, or whatever the Hell his name is, off the premises at once!”

“Right away Ms. Mills,” replied Claude.  He fiercely took hold of David by one arm while Killian took the other and held him in roughly in place. 

Regina approached the now disgraced employee and slowly ran her index finger from his navel all the way up to his chin.  Her newly manicured nails pierced the soft flesh of his throat as she forcefully raised his head to face hers. 

“What a waste,” she spoke quietly to him.  “We could have had such a… mutually satisfying working relationship.”  Her expression then turned dark and she roughly pushed him away.  “Don’t ever step foot in my Casino again.  Or it will be the last thing you ever do.”

David sent Archie a scornful look for good measure and allowed himself to be led out of the room and down the hall.  Once they were out of sight, Regina checked her watched and sneered.

“So much for my dinner reservation,” she muttered.  She turned to Archie and held her hand out, palm up, towards the doorway.  He took the hint and immediately marched down the hall with Regina by his side.

Once they were about halfway through the maze, Archie stopped and looked down at his hands.  “Oh no!  Ms. Mills, I’m terribly sorry but I seem to have forgotten my umbrella!”

Regina growled low in her throat and checked her watch once again.  “Do you know your way back?” she asked.

“I do,” he replied confidently.

Without sparing him a second glance, she continued to make her way towards the exit.

“Enjoy the fight!” he called out.

Yes, he did know the way out.  He just wasn’t ready to go yet.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Mr. Gold checked his antique pocket watch and smiled.  If everything was going according to schedule, Henry and the package would be on their way to the vault and Archie should almost be in place.  Everything now counted on Jefferson getting that ridiculous Pinch contraption to work and cast the seaside town into darkness. 

He comfortably leaned against an old rickety table and looked around what appeared to be a spare storage room.  The small windowless area was quite sparse, with only a couple pieces of furniture and a few sealed cardboard boxes.

The two goons who had escorted him to such lovely accommodations now stood in front of the door, staring silently at him.   They had barely blinked since shoving him inside.

“I see there are no cameras in this room,” he stated calmly.  If their intent was to intimidate him they would be sorely disappointed.  “No.  Of course there wouldn’t be.  You don’t want anyone to see what goes on in here, do you?”

They did not reply, nor did they react in any way to his words.  They simply continued to stare.  These men were quite serious.

“Regina isn’t coming, is she?” he asked quietly.

Suddenly, a giant shadowy fist began to pound on the door’s frosted glass window.  The guards finally showed a brief flicker of emotion as they smirked at the insistent pounding.  They seemed find what was coming next to be highly amusing.

They stepped aside to open the door, where one of the largest men Gold had ever seen in his life stood waiting.  He was so wide he had to turn slightly sideways in order to fit through the opening.  He had lengthy russet colored hair and a long straggly beard.  He bared his teeth at Gold and pounded a mighty fist into the palm of his other hand.

“This is Tiny,” said one of the brutes.

“We’ll leave you two alone to get to know each other,” the other one chuckled.

The door closed behind them, leaving Tiny and Gold to stare silently at one another. 

“Hello, Anton,” he said quietly, bestowing the large man a smile.  “I do believe I’m ready to cash in that favor you owe me.”


	22. Broken Hearts

Gaston was frustrated and bored. 

He wanted nothing more than to be sitting front and center at the ring already.  To be surrounded by thousands of screaming spectators and sitting between Belle and Regina, two of the most beautiful women on the East coast, would make him the envy of every man.  Tonight’s boxers were modern day legends and he had been looking forward to telling his grandkids someday about how he had been there when the winning punch was thrown.

But by the time he would be done here with the old broad and her stupid briefcase the match would most likely be over.  At least they could watch it on the big screen here in the security room.  They didn’t get HBO but there were several security cameras all over that convention center.  He would see the fight one way or another.

In the meantime, however, he still had to deal with the crypt-keeper’s mother.  There was no reason why that the pathetic lap-dog Sidney couldn’t have taken care of Mrs. Lucas himself.  He had far more important things to deal with! 

If only Regina had allowed him to take down Gold himself he wouldn’t feel so bad about missing the fight of the century!   Instead he had to send in the hired muscle to bring the ex-convict into the Dark Room, so named because of its lack of cameras.  He would have loved to have been the one to turn that bastard’s smug face into hamburger meat. 

Tiny could certainly get the job done, but it just wasn’t the same.

“This is the outer door of the vault, Mrs. Lucas,” said Sidney, pointing to the large screen.  They watched as two armed security guards checked Kurt and Greg’s security clearance.  Once satisfied, one of the guards inputted a six digit code into the keypad and the twelve inch thick metal slid open to reveal another set of impregnable doors.  “The second set of doors can only be opened from this room.  Our system is foolproof.”

The image on the main screen changed once again to show an interior shot of the vault.  Greg pushed the cart into the center of the room, next to three other similar ones.  Kurt carefully placed Mrs. Lucas’s briefcase on top of one of them and nodded up to the camera.

“You’re package is now safe and secure,” said Gaston as he furtively checked the time.  He might just get a chance to see the fight after all!  “Does that satisfy you, Mrs. Lucas?”

“Very…very satisfied,” she stammered.

Pulling his gaze away from his watch, he studied the older woman carefully and was taken aback by how pale she had become!  Sweat glistened on her forehead and she kept flexing her left arm as though she had a cramped muscle. 

“Mrs. Lucas?  Ma’am, are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she replied weakly.  She clutched at a gold chain around her neck and fingered the dozen rings that hung from it.  “Please, just…give me a moment.”

“Who is that?” asked one of the technicians suddenly, pointing to one of the smaller screens.

“Who?” he asked, glad for the brief distraction from the gasping senior.  Old people simply creeped him out.

 “There’s a red haired man with glasses wandering down the corridor and getting inside the elevator.  He’s not authorized to be there.”

“Well then send a security team to…”

“Ugh!”

A sickening thud echoed across the room.  Every eye turned to see Mrs. Lucas collapse to the floor in a heap. 

“Oh my God!” cried Sidney.  “I think she’s having a heart attack!  Somebody call 911!”

Gaston glanced up at the monitors but the screen the technician had been talking about showed nothing but an empty corridor and equally empty elevator.  The watcher must have been seeing things because there was certainly no one there now.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Archie looked around the state of the art elevator in awe.  It had only one destination listed; the vault.  Unfortunately, there was no way he could access it without a pass card and fingerprint identification.  

Luckily, there was another way down. 

If Emma was successful, he should currently be invisible to all of the cameras in the area.  Knowing that no one could see him right now brought him some degree of comfort as he removed his jacket and tie.  His fingers faltered on the buttons of his dress shirt, however, when he realized that while security could not see him, Emma and Neal could!  He wasn’t stripping down completely but the thought of being watched still left him feeling self-conscious. 

He would just have to finish undressing on the roof.

Reaching up on to the tips of his toes, he pushed on one of the lighted ceiling panels to reveal an opening into the elevator shaft.  He bent down to collect his briefcase, umbrella and jacket then stretched up to toss them through the gap.

He then let out a very un-manly scream while jumping into the corner of the elevator.  A face smiled down at him from above.

“You didn’t think I was really going to sit this one out, did you?” asked Mr. Gold innocently.

Archie clutched his chest as his heartbeat tried to return to its normal rhythm.  “What?  You didn’t trust me?”

“I do now.”  Gold snapped his fingers and Archie quickly handed him his things then pulled himself up into the dimly lit elevator shaft.

Mr. Gold was dressed in a black short sleeved shirt and matching pants.  It was the first time Archie had ever seen his old friend in something other than one of his signature ties and he found the overall effect somewhat unnerving.  He looked almost normal!

They quickly opened the briefcase and withdrew the harnessing equipment from the secret compartment inside.  Archie finished undressing to reveal similar black clothes while Gold configured the equipment to fit onto their bodies.  He noticed his friend’s cane was nowhere in sight.  “How did you get here?”

“You would be simply amazed by the sheer number of people in the world that owe me a favor or two.  Someone has just cleared their books.”

“But how did you get into the shaft without being seen?”

“I took a leisurely crawl through an air vent, thanks to an old acquaintance.” 

“And why aren’t you in one of your suits?” he asked, genuinely curious.  “You’re never seen in public without one.”

Gold looked up, scandalized.  “Do you honestly think I would wear a five thousand dollar suit to crawl through dust and God knows what else?  Be reasonable!  I had this on underneath.”

They continued to prep for their descent in silence, speaking only once they were ready and waiting for the signal.

“What about your son and the whole argument over Belle then?” asked Archie.  “What was all that about?”

Gold laughed derisively.  “Do you honestly believe that I could be flagged by security unless it was exactly what I wanted?”

“Oh come on!” he exclaimed.  “There’s no way you could have planned all this!  What are you playing at?”

“You should know by now, Hopper, that I never do anything without good reason.  It’ll all be clear soon.”

Archie knew he shouldn’t be upset but it was hard not to be when you’ve been used.  “Why didn’t you just tell me?  I mean, why put me through all this anxiety if you were going to come anyway?”

Gold flashed him one of his famous half smiles.  “Your confidence needed a boost, Hopper.  So we gave you one.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Belle Gold sat at the bar and sipped at her third glass of white wine dejectedly. 

He was gone; truly gone this time.  He was gone forever and was never coming back. 

She really had no right to be angry.  After all, she was the one who had sent him the divorce papers.  She was the one who given up on them and put an end to their long and happy marriage.  And for what?  Because she was lonely?  Because she was so angry by one little lie that she couldn’t stand by her man at his darkest hour?

He had been incarcerated and yet she claimed her life was the one to have been ruined!  So what if she had to sell everything?  They were merely possessions; nothing that couldn’t have been replaced.  So what if she had to find a new career?  Most people changed careers four or five times during their life anyway!  So what if she had lost some friends?  They obviously had never cared about her in the first place, just what her position in life could do for them. 

That was the problem with people.  They always wanted something from her.

But not Danny.  All he had ever wanted of her was loyalty.  Loyalty he had been missing his entire life!  It seemed everyone eventually betrayed him; Milah, Zoso, Mother Superior, Regina, if he was to be believed, and now her, his own wife. 

All he had ever wanted was to see her happy; to see her smile.  To the rest of the world he was a hardened businessman and thief.  But to her, he was a kind and gentle man, a devoted father and loyal friend.  He may come off as a sophisticated, affluent capitalist but in reality his needs were quite simple.  Deep down, all he ever wanted was to have a loving family living a normal life. 

And with a single signature on a legal document, she had taken that away from him too.

She had asked him to leave and so he did.  And now he was gone. 

She signaled the bartender for another refill.  “I’ll take the rest of the bottle, William.”

“I think you’ve had enough, Miss French,” said Mr. Smee as he tried to take away her glass.

“It’s Gold!” she exclaimed loudly, making the short bartender scurry away in fear.  “Why can’t anyone remember that?”

“Belle?  What are you doing?” demanded Regina crossly.  “You are supposed to be sitting at the table.  And why are you drinking _white_ wine?  We always drink red!”

“I just felt like having a drink…or two…or three,” she slurred.  “Besides, you’re the one who’s late.”

“Yes, well, it couldn’t be helped.  Something came up.”  Regina checked the time on her diamond encrusted watch and frowned.  “We’ll have to wait to eat until after the match.  We need to be down at the ring in a few minutes.”

“Fine with me,” Belle replied as she downed the rest of her drink.  “I’m not very hungry tonight anyway.”

She slung her purse around her shoulder and got up unsteadily on her high heels.  The sooner this ridiculous boxing match started the sooner it would be over.  Then she could escape to her room and have a good cry. 

It was high time she took stock of her life and decided what really mattered.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Gaston watched helplessly as the cold and clammy Mrs. Lucas lay unconscious on the metal flooring.  Try as he might, he couldn’t seem to recall any of his first aid training! 

The only reason he had even received his certification was because of the one-on-one _resuscitation_ he had had with Jacqueline, his CPR instructor.  Jack, as he had fondly called her as he had fondled her, had not minded one bit that his hands were not on the correct part of her chest or that his tongue had come into play while giving her the kiss of life.  He had particularly enjoyed her creative use with the wraps and knots afterwards in the storage room and the special _medicinal_ cakes they had shared once their lust had been sated.  Jack was definitely a naughty girl, the complete opposite of his boring girlfriend Belle.

But now there was an old broad dying right in front of his eyes and all he could think was how he was so not putting his perfect lips on her ancient ones.

After what seemed liked hours, which in reality was only minutes, a security guard called in to inform them that two paramedics had arrived at the cage door.  He gave them authorization to enter and could hear them racing down the hallway.

“Did someone call for an ambulance?” asked a male voice from the doorway.

“Yes, in here!” cried Sidney.  “I believe she’s having a heart attack!”

They went immediately to her side and began checking her vitals.  The taller of the two, a slightly scruffy faced man with perfect windswept hair like he had just come off a motorcycle, a look that Gaston had always wanted but could never fully achieve, quickly began chest compressions. 

At least his hair was far nicer than the second man, who was short, almost completely bald and decidedly grumpy looking.  He was kneeling on Mrs. Lucas’s other side, keeping her head tilt back to open up her breathing passageway, and shouted, “Come on, sister!  Breathe, damn it!”

After just few minutes, the taller man terminated the CPR and shook his head at his partner.  He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and turned to the casino employees.  “I’m sorry.  We’ve lost her.  There was nothing we could do.” 

The bald man callously tossed a gray blanket over the body and together they hoisted it up onto the gurney.    Gaston watched aloofly as the paramedics collected their equipment and wheeled it out into the hall.

“I told you we should have run faster,” he heard the shorter man say.

This was the worst thing that could ever have happened!  He was not looking forward to telling Regina that a guest had died right in their security room, under his watch no less. 

Now he definitely wouldn’t get to see the fight!

 

~8~8~8~

 

“All right,” said Neal in the hotel room.  “August and Leroy are leaving with Granny now.”

“She was wonderful!” exclaimed Emma.  “Even I believed she was having a heart attack.”

“She may not have had an actual heart attack but I could tell her Angina was acting up.  She gets chest pains and some numbness whenever she overexerts herself or gets excited.  Did you see how fast that bastard Gaston was walking?  She practically had to run to keep up with him.”

“Well, the distraction certainly worked,” continued Emma.  “I managed to switch the camera feeds without anyone noticing.  Security is now watching nothing but recordings so they are relatively blind.  We’re good to go.”

“Contact Henry.  It’s about time our son got out of that cart.”

 


	23. The Vault

Henry Swan was finally having the adventure of his dreams! 

He had always known he was born for greatness.  Not only was he was about to be involved in the most daring heist in history, he was playing one of the most important roles!  He had proven his worth to Mr. Gold and he wasn’t about to let him down now.

Tucked snugly into the cramped box, he read his comic book by flashlight while awaiting his cue.  The oxygen tank was pressing up awkwardly against his legs, but he was grateful to have it.  As much as he hated to admit it, it was getting uncomfortably hot in there and a little bit difficult to breathe. 

But every Superhero has a weakness of some kind; breathing just happened to be his.

“Henry?” said Neal’s staticky voice over the walkie-talkie.  “Come in, buddy.”

Henry shone his light around his feet until he found the bulky radio and pressed the call button.  “Is the eagle in its nest?” he asked promptly.

There was a slight pause before Emma responded.  “We left the code book at home, kid.  How about…the package is secure.”

“Huh?”

“Your inside the vault, buddy,” added Neal.  “It’s safe to come out of the cart.”

Henry tentatively pushed up on the lid of the golden cash cart and peeked through the narrow slit to make sure the coast really was clear.  He could see metal walls and a metal ceiling with metal shelves overflowing with stacks of boring bound bills. 

It was a bit of a letdown, to be honest.  He had been really hoping the vault would be like Scrooge McDuck’s; filled with gold coins and priceless treasures that he could go swimming in!  But reality was rarely so wondrous. 

Life is just far more interesting inside my head, he thought wisely.

He stood up in the cart and gave his arms and back a quick stretch.  Being smuggled past armed guards had been incredibly exciting but he was glad that that part of the task was over.  It had been getting a bit cramped in there. 

Henry looked around the ceiling until he found the familiar round black camera.  He quickly spotted it at the opposite end of the doors and enthusiastically waved for his mother to see. 

“We see you, kid,” Emma said promptly over the radio.  “You don’t have much time, okay?  Do you remember where the explosives go?”

He nodded vigorously and jumped down to the floor.  Picking up the briefcase very carefully, he opened it up to reveal the fake emeralds.  Leroy had formed them out of highly volatile chemicals and his job was to attach them to the door.

It was time for him to a hero!

He and Mr. Gold had practiced on the fake vault doors so that he knew exactly where to stick them.  Standing in the very center, using the crease as a guide, he reached up as far as his short arms could reach and attached some of the sticky playdough that he had transported in the cart with him.  He then pressed the fake jewel deep into the tacky substance and waited with bated breath. 

It stayed put.

He then reached his arm out to the right to measure the distance for the next one, just like Mr. Gold had taught him, and stretched up again to attach the second explosive.  He repeated the gesture on the left of the first one, then once more in the center at his eye level. 

Perfect!

He turned around to face the camera and gave his mother two thumbs up.

Operation Cobra was a success!  Now it was all up to Archie.

 

~8~8~8~

 

“Don’t forget the codes,” warned Mr. Gold.  “This whole plan will fall apart if you forget to take them with us.”

Archie turned slightly pink as he picked up his discarded suit jacket and searched the pockets for the small piece of paper he had pilfered from Regina.  True, there were only six numbers to remember, but once adrenaline kicked in and his heart started to beat like mad, it would become very difficult to concentrate.  One wrong entry and they would be surrounded by armed guards within moments.

“Are you sure these things will hold us?” asked Archie nervously as he once again tested the harness’s restraints by tugging at them firmly.

“We’ll know soon enough if they don’t,” he replied, smirking slightly.  He gestured to the metal beam over the long descent.  “After you.”

Archie’s arms were now visibly shaking as he stretched them out as far as they would reach and hooked the clip around the narrow steel beam.  He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and walked off the edge of the elevator’s ceiling. 

“Excellent,” said Gold approvingly once the younger man did not fall.  “Now that I know it can support your wait, there’s no question it will support mine.  Slide over.”

Gold had of course known without a doubt that it would support a full grown man, but it was certainly entertaining to see the shocked look on Hopper’s face.  He could be such a pushover at times!

He attached his clip with far more ease and slid out to the center where Archie hung silently, his arms holding the thin wire in a death grip.  He looked down curiously at the two hundred foot drop and noticed the dozens of red lazers that crisscrossed the entire length of the tunnel, the closest one being only a yard away from his feet.  If they were to drop early it would spell disaster for them. 

Once they were both securely in position, he carefully brought his wrist up to his mouth and spoke into the sleeve.  “Son?  We’re a go.”

“Papa?  Is that you?” came the garbled reply in his ear piece.  “Leroy bet me a thousand dollars that you’d take the wrong air vent and end up in the ladies locker room.  Looks like I won.”

“Then you had best tell Jefferson to work his magic because the only way Leroy can pay you is if we succeed tonight.  It’s a long way down, son.  We have zero room for error.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Jefferson was sweating profusely in the back of the white cube van as he re-checked all of the connections to the Pinch.  In the end, it had taken close to a dozen car batteries and just as many jumper cables to get the required electrical output. 

It should work.  At least, it should work in _theory_. 

He wiped the perspiration from his forehead and looked over his shoulder for trouble.   He would have felt safer being as far away from the Casino as possible but he was unsure how far the effects would reach.  So not only was he trying to jump-start a nuclear fission device without the proper equipment, he was doing it in a darkened corner of the building’s parking lot.  If a nosy tourist or over-eager security guard were to stumble across him, he was dead meat!

 “Jefferson?” called Emma’s voice over his ear piece.  “We’re ready for you.  It’s now or never.”

“Understood,” he replied.  Here goes nothing. 

He jogged several yards away and fleetingly wished for a street lamp or another vehicle for cover.  He wasn’t exactly sure what would happen once the device was activated; it might do nothing or it might explode into a million pieces!  Covering his private parts protectively with his hand (Grace may want to have a sibling someday), he held out the makeshift remote and pressed the button.

The connections at the terminals immediately began to spark dangerously as power was being drained from the batteries.  The green liquid inside the large cylindrical tube bubbled and churned like something out of an old Frankenstein movie.

“It’s alive,” whispered Jefferson.

The van slowly began to shake as the Pinch vibrated from the chemical reactions taking place inside the conduits.  Sparks now flew from almost every connection and the droning of the device grew deafening. 

One of the batteries exploded in a gush of hot acid and Jefferson instinctively shielded his face from the platter.  When he opened his eyes, it was to complete darkness.

His first reaction was that he had been blinded by the explosion but he quickly realized he felt no pain.  After a just a few seconds, his eyes adjusted to the lack of light and he could make out the stars in the clear skies.

He had done it.  The Pinch had worked.

Storybrooke was now completely enshrouded in darkness for the next thirty seconds. 

 

~8~8~8~

 

“Ms. Mills!  Can I get shot of you in front of the boxing ring for People Magazine?”

“I’m from The New York Times, Ms. Mills!  Can I get a quote for tomorrow’s paper?”

“Ms. Mills, I’m from O Magazine!  As a former Super Model turned world renowned businesswoman, we _need_ to know: what’s your secret for flawless skin?”

Belle was unceremoniously shoved aside as more reporters crammed around her now-celebrated employer.  Regina, it seemed, was in her element, hob-knobbing with the rich and famous, answering the rapid-fire questions like a pro and flashing her million dollar smile in every direction. 

She sat down in her assigned seat and self-consciously smoothed the knee length dress over her legs.  While she wasn’t the focus of the hundreds of photographs being snapped by the minute, she would no doubt be seen in the background of some of them.  She plastered a friendly smile on her face while furtively checking herself to make sure she would find no surprises when she opened the local newspaper in the morning.  The last thing she wanted was a picture of herself with her bra showing or underwear peeking out!

If only she could have brought a book with her to pass the time, but Regina had forbidden it.  She didn’t even have her cell phone to go online.  Sighing resignedly, she picked up the souvenir pamphlet that someone had thrust into her hands.  It may not have been Shakespeare but it was something she could read while she waited for Regina to finish her little press tour. 

The boxers tonight were supposed to be among the best in the world but she could not see the appeal of beating another person senseless for money.  The Champ, Frederick, and his opponent, Peter, would have both been highly attractive young men if their noses hadn’t been broken and teeth hadn’t been knocked out.   Poor Peter even had a bite taken out of his ear from a previous adversary! 

Cheers from thousands of eager spectators drew her mind back to ring as the two athletes entered through separate entries.  Frederick held the golden belt high over his head while Peter smiled roguishly at the ladies.

“History is about to made, Belle,” cried Regina over the roar of the crowd.  “Everyone across the world will be talking about my Casino and what happened here tonight!”

Frederick wore gold shorts, no doubt to match his Championship belt, while Peter wore red.  The two men jumped in the ring and danced around the ropes to the delight of the thousands of spectators.  Four TV personalities sat at a raised table with microphones, ready to announce the grand event for the benefit of those watching on HBO.

Everyone was ready and eager for the fight to begin.  Regina smiled and waved then paused for a photograph before ringing the iconic bell.

_Ding! Ding!_

Frederick raised his fists and launched himself at Peter.

And then the world went dark.

 

~8~8~8~

 

The low lights within the elevator shaft were suddenly extinguished and the glowing red security lazer beams became inactive.  Jefferson had assured them that they should get at least thirty seconds but as Gold had learned the hard way, there were no guarantees in life.

“Crack them,” he ordered.

Beside him, Archie bent several glow sticks until he heard the distinctive snap.  The chemicals inside immediately combined to create a neon green light within the plastic tube.  Once he dropped them down into the abyss, they twirled and circled each other, becoming a swirling green vortex to the very bottom.

When they were certain their light source had landed, he gave the order.  “Let’s go!”

Gold pressed the release switch on his rappelling gear and immediately descended the length of the shaft.  Archie lagged only a second behind, but due to their difference in heights, reached the floor at the same time. 

And not a second too soon!  The instant they cut their lines, the lights and lazer beams re-ignited.

“Thirty seconds, my ass!” Gold growled quietly, wincing at the pain shooting up his knee.  The landing had been harder than he had been expecting.

Archie was already crouched low in front of the outer elevator doors and nodded silently to his partner.  Together, they slowly and carefully pulled the doors apart a couple of inches and peered out into the brightly lit metal hall.  Two armed guards were conversing tensely, no doubt on edge due to the sudden power outage.    Fortunately, neither man had their hands on their weapons.

Gold removed a small metallic device from his shoe and motioned for Archie to hold his breath.  He pulled open a tiny lever and immediately slid the instrument into the hall towards the guards.  He briefly waited to ensure the purple smoke was indeed being pumped out of it, then quickly pushed the elevator doors closed again.

They waited a count of thirty before opening the doors once more.

The two guards were on the floor, unconscious, their radios still hooked to their belts.  They hadn’t had a chance to call for help or warn the others.  If Emma had been successful in switching the camera feeds, they were now invisible to everyone. 

He limped heavily down the short hall, supporting himself with the wall.

“What was that purple smoke?” asked Archie as he checked one of the guards for a pulse.

Gold searched his pockets for the plastic tie-downs he had brought with him and immediately got to work binding the guard’s hands and feet.  “Oh, just a mild sleeping gas.  Don’t worry about them.  They may experience some frightening nightmares while they’re under but they will wake up without any ill effects.”

Archie retrieved the codes from his pocket and studied the panel carefully before punching in the first number.  One wrong entry and the entire system would lock down.  After re-checking each number twice, he finally pushed the enter key and stood back.

The heavy metal doors quickly parted to reveal a second set of equally strong doors.  Gold approached them carefully and reverently ran his hand over the smooth metal.

“Behind this door is a hundred and twenty million dollars and my grandson,” he said quietly.

“Grandson?” exclaimed Hopper.  He ran his hand through his red hair and smiled.  “I think it’s time to get them out then.”

“Indeed.” 

Gold roughly pounded on the door three times.  After a short pause, they heard a faint knock from the other side four times.  If memory served him, that was Henry’s code to signify that the explosives were all in place and that he was ready to go.  He pounded on the door twice more to acknowledge, then got to work himself.

This was the most elaborate, most unbreakable vault ever created.  Nevertheless, the designers had failed to account for its one fatal flaw.  There was no possible way the door could be blown open to get people _in_.  They had never considered the possibility, however, that someone would want to blow it from the inside to get someone _out_.

He and Henry had practiced several times on the fake vault’s doors so that they could synchronize their placements perfectly.  He used his own body to measure the distances that Henry could reach and placed the chargers in the exact same spots that the young lad had stuck the explosives.

Once completed, he pounded on the door four times more to signal that he was done.  They then gave the boy until the count of thirty to seek cover.  “Emma?  Is he clear?”

“He’s covered,” she replied nervously in his ear piece. 

“Papa?” called Neal.  “Try not to kill my son, okay?”

 _My son_ , he called him. 

So Emma had finally told him.  It was about bloody time too!

Smiling happily to himself, he pressed the button and set off the charges. 

The door split open with a resounding crack that made his ears ring.  Dark gray smoke billowed through the jagged gap, filling their lungs with burning hot air.  His eyes stung painfully against the heat yet he forced his way through the opening.  “Henry?” he called out desperately.  “Henry!  Are you all right?”

“Over there,” coughed Archie, his eyes watering from the smoke.

Gold searched through the dust clouds until he finally spotted a small, dark shadow emerge from a cash cart in the corner.

“Holy Shit that was cool!” cried Henry excitedly.  “Can we do it again?”

Gold breathed a sigh of relief then quickly coughed up the smoke.  “We should never have let you hang out around Leroy.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Emma twitched nervously on the couch and wished that she was down in that vault with her son.  Gold and Archie were even now piling a mountain of bound bills into the center of the room while Henry sat watching them.  He was so observant, absorbing everything he saw and heard.  While getting involved in a life of crime was the last thing she had ever wanted for her child, she had to admit that she was so very proud of him for what he did today. 

Her son was loyal, brave and a faithful friend.  He was smarter and more courageous than most of the grown men she had known in her life.  Speaking of grown men in her life…

“Neal?” she called into the radio.  He had remained long enough to see for himself that Henry was safe, then left to prepare for the next task.  She hadn’t wanted to remain in the hotel room by herself while the others were converging at the cannery, but it couldn’t be helped.  Someone had to stay behind to man the computers.  “You’re up.  Good luck.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm!” Regina shouted desperately, trying to maintain order.

It was of no use.  The crowd was revolting no matter how she tried to reason with them.  What the hell had caused that power outage anyway?  Someone’s head would roll for this, that was for damn sure!

The lights had been out for less than thirty seconds and all hell had broken loose.  When they had returned, the thousands of spectators who had paid five hundred dollars or more per ticket had discovered, to their horror, that the match was over. 

Peter lay on the mat in the ring, unconscious, while paramedics worked furiously over him.  Frederick, in the meantime, looked dazed and confused as his coach wiped the blood from his face.  No one knew what had happened in the darkness, only that Peter was out of the match and they were out of a show.

It was a complete disaster!

Regina quickly ducked as someone threw a metal fold out chair at her head.  It missed her completely, hitting instead the representatives from HBO and the American Boxing Association.  All around her, customers were throwing snacks, beverages and punches at her security personnel. 

There was a war brewing.  A war she knew she could not win.

“Get your purse!” she screamed at Belle, who was helping an elderly man to his feet.  “We’re getting out of here!”

Mr. Dove, her giant of a bodyguard, quickly reached her side and guided them safely through the horde.   Regina knew what would happen if she didn’t get out immediately; they would be out for her blood!  No matter who was really responsible, it was all going to come back to her. 

She had been made a fool on international television! 

Hopefully her reputation was merely tarnished and not completely destroyed.  She could find a way around this.  She always did.

But not with that incessant shrill ringing in her ears!   

“Are you going to answer that damn phone or not?” she demanded, sending Belle a scathing look.

“Why are you talking about?” asked Belle.  “I didn’t bring my cell phone.”

The ringing continued and Belle looked around in confusion.  Finally, she dipped her hand in her purse and withdrew the source of the noise.  “This phone’s not mine.  I’ve never seen it before.”

“See who it is.”

Belle brought the cell to her ear and pressed the receive button.  “Hello?”

Her eyebrows creased in consternation as she listened to what was being said on the other end, then held out the phone to Regina.  “It’s for you.”

Regina’s nostrils flared as she snatched the mysterious phone from her caretaker.  “Who the hell is this?”

“ _The person who’s robbing you_.”


	24. S.W.A.T.

Regina stormed down the brightly lit hallway with Belle following quickly behind her, their high heels click-clacking rhythmically with the speed and force of a horse’s hooves.  Her feet guided her to her destination automatically while her brain tried to comprehend this latest disaster.

Someone was robbing her! 

The whimsical black and white forest soon disappeared only to be replaced with the glass walls of the security center, the largest and most elaborate of its kind on the East Coast.  Surely her team was already aware of the situation and handling it.  That was what they were paid for, after all.

She expected to find her men working furiously over their keyboards, receiving commands from law enforcement and giving orders to the guards on the floor.  She expected to see the quiet, discipline of the managers she had spent a fortune developing and resilient self-control of their charges. 

Instead, she found them all laughing hysterically as Gaston replayed security footage from the Convention Center of a metal chair being thrown at her head!

“Look how it hits the HBO guy!” guffawed Gaston.  “She’ll never get another TV spot!  Let’s watch it again!”

“What the hell is going on in my vault?” she demanded angrily as she threw open the door. 

Sidney Glass bristled under her ire and cleared his throat awkwardly.  “Nothing, Regina.  Everything is fine downstairs.”

She pointed to the main monitor, which was now on a loop of her ducking, and snapped her fingers.  “Show me.”

With the press of a few keys, the main screen divided into two images; that of the two guards conversing in the hallway and also the secured vault.  Nothing was out of the ordinary.

“As you can see, ma’am,” said one of the underlings.  “All is well.” 

Regina brought the mysterious cell phone back to her ear.  “I’m afraid you’re mistaken,” she said darkly to the unknown caller.

“ _Are you watching your monitors?_ ” he replied. “ _Okay, keep watching._ ”

Almost seamlessly, the images changed, eliciting gasps and cries from around the room. 

Her two heavily armed security guards lay crumpled to the floor.  As they were bound and gagged she assumed they were still alive, but they were of little concern to her, of course.  Her eyes were now completely focused on the second image; that of her precious vault!

Two men, dressed in black, their faces covered by black ski masks, were moving quickly around the room, gathering the stacks of bound bills.  A mountainous pile was being created in the center of the vault, next to several large canvas bags.

 “ _In a casino, your luck can change just that quickly_.” 

 

~8~8~8~

 

Belle knew that voice.  It was a voice she hadn’t heard in almost two years but she would know it anywhere.

The voice, the vault, the bound but unharmed guards…it all made sense now!

Her mind flashed back to the restaurant bar.  Had it really been only a half hour since Danny had come to say goodbye to her?  She remembered his soft hands caressing her face, the feel of his warm embrace as his arms had encircled her waist.  Her waist…where her purse had hung loosely from her shoulder!

He must have slipped the phone into it.  It was the only explanation.

Her husband was behind the robbery. 

 _Of course he was!_ she thought bitterly.  He was always up to something!   He hadn’t come here to say goodbye at all!  She was merely a means to get to Regina’s money! 

He was a liar and a thief!  How could she have been such a fool?

Everyone had warned her that Danny Gold was nothing but a greedy, immoral capitalist but she had always vehemently defended his honor!  There was good in him.

She had seen it.

“Belle, perhaps you should…”  Gaston dismissively cocked his head towards the door.

“Perhaps I should what?” she demanded.  He wasn’t seriously kicking her out of here?

“It would be best if you weren’t around to witness this,” added Regina darkly.  “Go back to your quarters and stay there.  That’s an order!”

Regina then turned to Gaston and whispered, “Find out how much money we have down there.  If they steal a single dime from me I want their throats slit and bodies dumped in the ocean by morning!”

Belle slowly backed out of the security room, seething.  She had never realized just how dangerous Regina and Gaston could be if pressed.  Perhaps Danny was right about them.  But they were most certainly right about _him_! 

She was tired of being lied to!

She was tired of being a pawn in this stupid chess game! 

She needed someone to tell her the truth for once and there was only one person in this casino that would.

She had recognized that voice on the phone.  And not only that, she had heard the distinct trilling from the slot machines in the background. 

Baelfire was in the casino.  And it was high time she had a chat with her step-son.

 

~8~8~8~

 

Once Belle was safely out of earshot, Regina picked up the phone once again and snarled into it.  “All right.  You’ve made your point.  You’ve managed to sneak past all of my defenses and break into my vault, something no one else has ever done.  Congratulations…you’re a dead man!”

“ _Maybe._ ”

“Maybe?” she scoffed.  Did this imbecile not realize who he was dealing with?  “May I ask how you expect to leave?  Do you really think I will allow you to just _walk_ out of my casino with my money?”

“ _Yes.  As a matter of fact I do_.”

“And why would I do that?”

“ _Take a closer look at your monitor.  As your manager is probably informing you right now, you have a little over $124 million in your vault tonight.”_ She snatched a piece of paper from Gaston’s hand, showing a hastily written number of $124, 357, 650. _“You may notice we’re only packing up about_ half _of that.  The other half we’re leaving in your vault, booby-trapped… as a hostage._ ” 

 

~8~8~8~

 

Belle removed her ridiculous high heeled shoes so that she could run faster through the labyrinth of halls.  She didn’t have much time before Regina’s men would catch on to the _mysterious_ caller’s whereabouts but she wanted to make sure she got to him first.

She _had_ to get to him first!

She burst through the steel cage door and looked around frantically.  The casino was quite large with several wings.  It would be hard to locate him throughout the mob of gamblers. 

Or at least, it should have been.

Leaning casually against a marble pillar directly across from the cage doors, speaking quietly into a cell phone, was Baelfire.  He was dressed completely in black; black pants, black shirt and shiny black boots.  He made no effort to hide despite the fact that he was currently committing a serious crime. 

In fact, he almost looked as though he _wanted_ to be found!

“You let _our_ $62 million go and you can keep _yours_.  That’s the deal.  You try to stop us, we blow both cash loads.”

He looked up to meet her blank stare and his serious face immediately transformed into a roguish smile.  He looked relieved to see her.  “Ms. Mills, you can either lose $62 million quietly or $124 million publicly.  The choice is yours.” 

He covered the small mouth piece with the palm of his hand so that Regina could no longer hear and leaned in to kiss her cheek.  “Hi, mom.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

The temperature in the security room had chilled by several degrees.  No one dared to breathe loudly, let alone speak. 

Regina’s temper was legendary.  It was not unheard of for her to fire an entire department because of inept actions of one employee.  And having her state-of-the-art system breached was not something one wanted to bring up willingly.

Regina stared furiously at the phone in her hand and all Gaston could think of was how relieved he was that her icy glare was not directed at him for once.  Whoever was on the other line definitely had balls to up against her!  Or at least, a death wish!

“Gaston?”  She held the phone tightly against her thigh so that the man on the other end could not hear her.  “Make the call.”

He nodded and swiftly picked up the security room’s main phone line.  After only a single ring, the call was picked up.

“ _911 emergency response_ ,” answered a female voice.

“We have 2 men with explosives, who have taken over our vault.”

“ _Don’t worry, sir.  I’m sending over a team right now_.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Belle ached to give her beloved step-son a hug but she was too emotionally drained.  “Where’s your father?” she demanded instead.

“Papa’s fine,” he replied smoothly.  “He requests that you go upstairs and watch TV.”

Belle frowned as she tried to find any hidden meanings in Bae’s words.  What did he mean by watch TV?  They both knew she despised television.  Why not request she read a book?  “Oh he does, does he?”

“Please trust me, Belle.”  Baelfire gently tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear and wiped a stray tear from her heated cheek.  “Everything will be all right.  I promise.”

She could hear Regina’s deep voice get back on the phone.  “ _All right.  You have a deal._ ”

“Fantastic!” said Bae, as he blew Belle a kiss goodbye and turned towards the exit.  “Here’s what you do…”

 

~8~8~8~

 

“ _My men will exit the elevator carrying our half of the money in black bags.  These bags will be rigged with explosives that will kill not only them, but any security guards or guests that gets in their way.  And trust me when I say that they would rather die than go to jail.  Once I have confirmation that my men and the money are safe, I will provide you with the explosive’s deactivation codes for your half of the money_.”

“All right.  I am agreeing to your every request and now I have a request of my own.”  Her voice dropped several degrees to be at its most chilling.  “Run and hide, you bastard.  Run and hide.  If you get picked up next week buying a castle in Europe I am going to be extremely disappointed.  I want _my_ people to find you.  And when they do, rest assured that we are _not_ going to hand you over to the police.  I want you to suffer!  So, my advice to you again is this: run and hide.  Because I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do!”

There was no response, nor had she really expected one. 

She could hear nothing but the sounds of the busy streets of Storybrooke.

 

~8~8~8~

 

“Hello?” Belle called from her open doorway.  “Is anyone here?”

She cautiously entered her hotel suite and flipped on the overhead lights.  She let out a deep sigh when she realized that, sadly, there was no one there.

What had she been expecting?  For Danny to be there waiting for her, begging her to run away with him?  That wasn’t his style. 

Daniel Gold did not beg.  Not for anyone.

She tossed her shoes roughly to the floor and collapse tiredly on the couch.  So much had happened today.  She needed time to think! 

Why on Earth would Danny want her to watch TV?  It simply made no sense!  But if there was one thing she knew for absolute certainty about Danny Gold, it was that he never did or said anything without reason. 

She resignedly picked herself off the plush couch and made her way to the mahogany armoire which housed the rarely used entertainment system.  She pulled open the double cabinet doors and gasped.

Sitting neatly on the shelf next to the Blue-Ray player was a tea cup.

Not just any tea cup, she realized with a shock.  It was the chipped cup!

She picked up the delicate cup and reverently ran her thumb over the ragged edge.  She had broken this cup on their first date, forever marring his antique set.  She had been so nervous that he would be cross with her and kick her out of his beautiful Victorian house before dinner had even been served!  But he wasn’t.  He had been so kind, more worried about her cutting herself than the destruction of his priceless heirloom. 

“It’s just a cup,” he had said soothingly, before lovingly kissing her knuckles and helping her up off the floor.

That was the moment she had fallen in love with him. 

But what was it doing here?

She turned the cup around in her hands and was surprised when a folded sheet of thin paper fell out.  She picked the note up off the floor and sat down to read the familiar spindly writing. 

______________________________________

_My Darling Belle,_

_You once told me all I’d have is an empty heart and a chipped cup.  I want you to know that my heart can never be truly empty because you will always be in it.  Please take the cup and know that I still, and will forever, love you.   _

_Sincerely,_

_Daniel Gold_

_P.S.  Please turn the TV on to channel 88_

_______________________________________________

She quickly grabbed the remote and turned the TV on to the correct channel.  There was nothing there.  She checked the note again and slowly typed in the number.  Still nothing. 

The screen showed nothing but a bright blue screen.

Clutching the precious gift to her chest, she sat down on the couch and waited for something to happen.   If she knew Danny, it wouldn’t take long.

 

~8~8~8~ 

 

Regina paced fitfully back and forth in front of the monitors.  She continued to track the thieves’ progress as they finished dividing her money and were now piling their half into bags. 

 _Their_ half, she thought disdainfully.

She still hadn’t seen any sign of explosives. 

These two men were obviously very fit.  For their sake they had also be very fast runners. 

She was about to call their bluff.

“S.W.A.T. is here,” announced Sidney, interrupting her musings.

She checked the time on her diamond encrusted watch and was surprised that only a few minutes had passed.  “Hopefully they are as efficient as they are expedient.”

He pointed to one of the monitors that showed a black cube van with the word S.W.A.T. written across it in bold, white letters.  Several officers emerged, dressed in black riot gear, their heads covered by dark helmets, carrying heavy bags of weapons and equipment.  She watched as Killian Jones met them at the doors and led them through the casino cages. 

He came jogging into the security room a few minutes later, panting heavily, and handed her a radio.  “This will connect you to the S.W.A.T. leader.  His team is repelling down the elevator shaft as we speak.”

“This is Regina Mills, owner of the Casino,” she growled into the walkie-talkie.  “I don’t care you what you have to do or who you have to kill.  Just get me my vault back!  Now!”

“ _Understood, ma’am.  We are approaching the elevator doors now_.”

Nobody dared to breathe as they listened to the police officers cock their weapons.  Nobody but Gaston, that is, who quietly hummed the theme song to S.W.A.T. to himself.

“ _Night goggles on_ ,” S.W.A.T. leader ordered his team.  “ _Ms. Mills?  Prepare to cut the power._ ”

She nodded to Sidney who swiftly pressed several keys.  “I’m ready,” he replied.

She picked up the walkie-talkie.  “We are cutting power now.”

The two monitors went black except for a short message that flashed across the screen informing them that the Video Feed has been lost.  “What’s happening?” she demanded crossly.  “Why can’t I see anything?”

“The power to that _entire_ section of the building has been deactivated.  Even if we still had video we wouldn’t be able to see anything.  We don’t have infrared cameras.”

“ _Breaching elevator doors now_ ,” said the S.W.A.T. leader.  “ _We have two guards, bound and unconscious.  Wait a minute…_ ”

“ _Someone’s here!  Someone’s here!_ ” cried a panicked voice in the distance.  “ _Take them down!_ ”

Regina jumped as she heard the distinctive sounds of gunfire being fired in the small area.  Suddenly, it wasn’t just bullets exploding.  A loud boom echoed off the metal walls.

Someone had just detonated a bomb in her Casino!

“ _Lights!_ ” cried the S.W.A.T. leader.  “ _We need lights!  Now!_ ”

Sidney worked furiously over his keyboard to bring power back to that section.  Once the monitors flickered back to life, they saw two of the officers undoing the bindings of the guards and helping them to sit up.

The monitor for the vault however, showed nothing but grey smoke and flying charred paper.

“ _A highly explosive incendiary device has been detonated,_ ” said S.W.A.T. leader grimly.  “ _Repeat,_ has _been detonated.  We are searching for survivors now._ ”

Regina pounded her fist on to the desk with enough force to shake the monitors.  She turned her icy glare to Sidney and Gaston.  “I’m going down there!  As for you two idiots, FIND OUT HOW THE HELL THEY BROKE INTO MY SYSTEM!”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Regina forced her way past several of the officers in the hall just outside the elevator doors and approached the two guards who were rubbing their newly freed wrists.  “Did you get a look at their faces?” she demanded darkly.

“No, Ms. Mills,” responded one of the weakly.  “We didn’t see anything.  We’re so sorry…”

“Save it,” she replied with a sneer.  She marched into the ruined vault without giving them a second glance.  “Who the hell is in charge here?”

A tall man, completely indistinguishable from the others with his helmet on, approached her promptly.

“Ma’am, our search has found no suspects, nor have we determined at this time how they entered or exited the premises.  It’s as though they simply…disappeared.”

“Take your men out.”

“With all due respect, ma’am, I highly suggest you stand outside until the bomb squad has a chance to…”

“NOW!”

“It’s your vault.” He turned to his team and shouted.  “Blue Team!  Moving out!”

They picked up their equipment and made their way back to the elevator shaft, a few nodding respectfully to her as they passed.  She didn’t want them in here.  She needed to be by herself to think.

This wasn’t right.  None of this made any sense!

Not only had the perpetrators escaped but they had somehow made off with _all_ of the money!

She looked around her ruined vault with disdain and snatched one of the singed pieces of paper that continued to rain down upon her.  While watching on the monitors, she had assumed that the paper had once been her money.

In fact, they were nothing but flyers; flyers for the strippers and hookers over at the _Enchanted_ _Forest,_ the gentlemen’s club on the other side of town.  A raven haired beauty, who looked surprisingly like herself, was the featured girl in most of the pictures.  _Karma’s_ scarlet lips smiled seductively at the camera, her hands barely covering her nubile body.

Regina screamed as she tore up the two-for-one special and threw it into the air.  She grabbed a blackened, twisted shelving unit and pulled it crashing down, barely noticing the heat still radiating from the hot metal.  She then picked up the charred remains of Mrs. Lucas’s now empty briefcase and slammed it down upon the floor.

She collapsed onto her knees next to it and sobbed.  She was ruined!  Completely and utterly ruined!  The entire business world would ridicule her!  She would be laughed out of Storybrooke!

 _Wait a second!_ she thought suddenly.  _Storybrooke?_

Wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, she picked up the walkie-talkie and contacted her security room.  “Gaston?”

Something in the back of her mind was twitching to get out.  She had to be sure.

“ _Yes, Regina?_ ”

“Bring up the robbery on the monitor.”

“ _Yes, ma’am._ ”  After a few seconds of typing, he replied.  “ _We are looking at the image now_.”

She kicked away some debris from the entrance of the vault, where the word Storybrooke was engraved onto rich, black marble.  “Does it say ‘Storybrooke’ on the vault floor?” 

“ _Um…no.  No, it doesn’t.  I don’t understand_.”

“I had it put on Tuesday,” she spat.  “The images we saw of those men robbing us were a recording.”

“ _A what?_ ”

“It was staged, you moron!  Someone made a duplicate of my vault and what we saw on the monitor wasn’t really happening!”

“ _I don’t understand!_ ” the useless cockroach repeated.  “ _What happened to all that money?_ ”


	25. The Heist

**20 Minutes Ago:**

“ _Are you watching your monitors?  Okay, keep watching._ ”

Emma’s fingers expertly danced across the keyboard.  The images that Regina and her men were currently watching were a recording taken earlier, just after Granny’s package had been delivered, but before Henry had gotten out of the cart.  Emma had put them on a continuous loop so that the Security Room would be blind to their attempt of blowing the vault open from the inside.

With the tap of a few buttons, she quickly changed the images again. 

They couldn’t risk Regina seeing what was really happening in there; at least, not yet.  Gold’s pronounced limp would have given them away immediately, anyway.  The video she now sent through the hacked security feed was one they had filmed themselves yesterday, in the fake vault that Jefferson had built. 

Regina and her security team were actually watching David and August in disguise, gathering stacks and stacks of fake money and piling it into bags; bags that Archie and Gold could not possibly have brought with them.

The other monitor now showed the two guards lying on the floor, sleeping soundly, bound and gagged, but otherwise fine.  This too was a recording, taken a few minutes ago and also put on a continuous loop.

Security was still essentially blind and yet completely clueless.

 _“Ms. Mills, you can either lose $62 million quietly or $124 million publicly,”_ she heard Neal say over the untraceable phone. _“The choice is yours.”_

Emma watched the security room live on yet another monitor as Regina muffled her phone against her thigh.  “ _Make the call_ ,” she said to Gaston.

That was her cue.  Working her own special brand of magic on her computer, she bypassed the phone’s line and intercepted the call to answer it herself.  “911 emergency response.”

“ _We have two men with explosives, who have taken over our vault._ ”

Emma smiled tightly to herself.  “Don’t worry, sir.  I’m sending over a team right now.”

After disconnecting the phone, she picked up the walkie-talkie.  “August?  You guys are up.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

“You know, I’ve spent most of my life evading the police,” said August thoughtfully, “but I’ve never tried to impersonate them before.  This should be interesting.”

“Just remember,” said Granny sternly to the group at large.  “No unnecessary chatter.  We can’t have anyone recognizing your voices, especially those of you who’ve interacted with Regina or her staff.  Let August do all the talking.  And under no circumstances are you to remove your helmet!  I don’t care if you’re dying!  The helmet stays on!  Understood?”

“Fine by me,” mumbled Jefferson as he removed his top hat and stared at the large, dark helmet in disgust.  “I’d rather die than be seen wearing this ridiculous costume.”

August, David, Mary Margaret, Ruby, Jefferson and Leroy were all dressed in the black uniforms of the elite crisis squad, S.W.A.T.  Where Jefferson had managed to obtain the costumes, August had no idea, but other than being a tad long on Mary Margaret and a bit tight around Leroy’s middle, the disguises were flawless. 

“Will you be okay here by yourself, Granny?” asked Ruby.  “You’re still a little pale.”

“Better here than there, girl,” she replied with a grin.  “I’ll keep our escape route clear.  Just worry about yourselves.”

“All right, everybody in the van!” hollered August as he tossed the last of the bags into the rear doors.

“But Neal hasn’t gotten back yet!” argued Mary Margaret.  “What’s keeping him?”

“We’ll just have to pick him up on the way,” he replied.  “I have his gear.  Let’s go!”

They quickly piled into the black cube van that he and Jefferson had finished outfitting right before the earthquake had hit.  With a last wave to Granny, they drove through the cannery’s large loading doors with all the aftermarket lights a blazing.  They had even managed to find a real police siren.  

It was a relatively short drive to the casino, but with hundreds of vehicles trying to leave the crowded parking lot, they were forced to drive at a snail’s pace.  It was relatively easy, therefore, for Neal to jump aboard before they reached their destination.

“Miss me?” he asked teasingly while squeezing through the partially opened door.

“Cutting it a bit close, don’t you think?” grumbled Leroy.  He tossed the other man his helmet and bullet proof vest.  “Where’ve you been?”

“Sorry, but I couldn’t leave until I knew for sure that Henry was safe.” 

“Aww!” said Ruby and Mary Margaret together.

“So?” asked David nervously.  “How are we doing?”

Neal tightened the Kevlar vest around his chest and slipped on his gloves.  “Not too bad.  Papa and Archie got the doors blown open with no problems.  They should be ready by the time we’re in place.  Plus Emma’s got our backs.  She’ll let us know if anything goes wrong.”

“We’re here,” said August grimly.  He turned his head to face the group squatting in the back.  “Helmets on everyone.  It’s showtime!”

August jumped out of the passenger side and slid open the side door.  He watched silently as each member of the team grabbed a heavy bag and hopped outside.  A security officer for the casino was waiting for them at the main doors.

“I’m Jones,” he said gruffly.  “I am to give you access through the cages.  Which of you lads is in charge?”

“I’m S.W.A.T. leader,” August responded promptly.  He was surprised at how his deep voice seemed to echo through the helmet.  He barely recognized it himself.  Unhooking a police issue walkie-talkie from his utility belt, he tossed it to the guard and picked up his own bag.  “This will be the only way to communicate with us once we are dispersed.  You’ll need to bring this to whoever’s in charge on your end.  Blue Team, follow me!”

They filed into a single line and began the long march through the casino’s gaming floors.  The crowd of guests and gamblers parted like the Red Sea to make way for the formidable looking team.  Some of the more sober guests turned right around and headed for the exits.

“What can you tell me about the situation?” he asked Jones once they were through the cage doors.  The black and white trees embellished on the walls seemed even more disturbing through the dark tint of the helmet’s visor.  It was downright creepy!

“A couple of idiots have somehow made their way into the vault,” replied the captain of the guards.  “They claim to have explosives and won’t hesitate to use them should we try to stop them.  It’s two hundred feet underground so we haven’t bothered evacuating; Regina needs their money too badly to tell the guests to leave.”

They arrived at a set of double steel doors into which Jones inserted his pass card.  “Here we are,” he said once they parted.  “This elevator is the only way in or out.  It needs fingerprint identification so I will accompany you down.”

“No!” cried Ruby.  August cringed but it could not be seen underneath his dark helmet.  Ruby, fortunately, seemed to realize her error.  “Um…I mean…we can’t…. risk civilian lives.  It’s too dangerous.  You must remain here for your own protection.”

Killian Jones was suddenly very interested in Ruby’s skin tight uniform now that he knew there was a female body underneath.  His eyes raked over her subtle curves hidden behind the thick vest.  “Oh, don’t worry love.  I’m sure if I keep my body as close to yours as possible I’ll manage to come out untouched.  Well…hopefully not completely untouched.”

Someone, most likely David although August couldn’t be completely sure with all the gear, grabbed Jones by the scruff of his neck and pushed him up against the eerily painted trees on the walls.  Fortunately he remembered to hold his tongue.  Jones had just spent considerable time with David this evening and would no doubt have recognized his voice.

“Enough!” growled August, trying to add as much authority into his voice as possible.  “It’s too risky to take the elevator.  We’re rappelling down and you are staying up here.  That’s an order.  Clear?”

“Crystal,” he replied with a sneer.  David finally released his grip and Jones readjusted his shirt and smoothed his hair.  “You know, I never did catch your name.”

“That’s because I didn’t give it,” countered August cryptically.  “Now bring this to your boss and let us do our job.”

David and Jefferson removed the ceiling panel from the elevator and helped hoist the rest of the team up onto the roof.  They wasted no time in attaching their equipment to the metal beam and descended down the dark shaft.

Perspiration beaded down August’s face as he struggled to maintain his breathing.  Heights had never been an issue with him; he had spent most of his childhood hanging out in trees.  However, he had never hung from a two hundred foot tree by a thin metal line in complete darkness!  His head swam from feelings of vertigo and his dinner threatened to make a re-appearance.

His knees shook embarrassingly as his feet finally made contact with the floor and leaned heavily against the smooth wall for support.   

“You know,” chastised Ruby quietly, “for someone’s who’s spent his entire life running from his enemies, the police, and responsibility…you should be in better shape.”

“Ha ha ha,” he replied, dripping in sarcasm.  He brought his sleeve up to his mouth and whispered into the hidden mike.  “Emma?  Are we clear?”

“ _Security is blind_ ,” she said promptly.  “ _You are good to go_.”

He looked around at his team mates and nodded.  “This is it guys.  Absolutely no talking from this point on.  You all know what to do.”

Leroy and Jefferson each took a side of the outer elevator doors and pulled it open.  One by one they hopped over the raised threshold and raced to the vault, where Archie, Gold and Henry were waiting patiently, sitting on top of a hundred and twenty four million dollars.

Several of the equipment bags they had carried with them were actually filled with flyers for Astrid’s coworkers over at the Enchanted Forest strip club.  One by one, they swiftly dumped their contents into a growing pile inside the vault. 

Once emptied, they proceeded to refill them with the stacks of bound bills already waiting for them.

“ _This is Regina Mills, owner of the Casino_ ,” squawked Regina through August’s walkie-talkie.  Several team members jumped at the sudden sound of their mark’s voice.  “ _I don’t care you what you have to do or who you have to kill.  Just get me my vault back!  Now!_ ”

August reached for his radio as Gold dramatically rolled his eyes in annoyance.  There was certainly no love lost between those two!

“Understood, ma’am,” he responded respectfully.  “We are approaching the elevator doors now.”

He waved his hand at the others to hurry up their movements.  They had very little time left.

 “Night goggles on,” he ordered.   “Ms. Mills?  Prepare to cut the power.”

Archie had just finished tightening the bullet proof vest that Mary Margaret had transported in when Regina’s voice once again cut through the airwaves.

“ _We are cutting power now._ ”

The underground room was plunged into complete darkness.  It took a few seconds for August’s eyes to adjust to the eerie green glow of the night vision.  He watched impatiently as the few remaining members zipped up their bags and hurried back towards the elevator shaft. 

“Breaching elevator doors now,” he said for Regina’s benefit.  Henry crawled into Mary Margaret’s now empty bag as Archie finally put on his helmet.  “We have two guards, bound but unconscious.  Wait a minute…”

“Someone’s here!  Someone’s here!” cried Leroy on cue.  “Take them down!”

Jefferson stepped forward and unsheathed his submachine gun.  He laughed maniacally as he fired hundreds of blanks into the now empty vault.  He seemed to be enjoying it far too much to be considered healthy!

August hastily turned to Leroy and nodded.  The shorter man dug a remote control out of his pocket and pressed down on the button.

A small smoke bomb imbedded within the mountainous pile of two-for-one lap dance coupons exploded in a flash of blinding light.  An all engulfing cloud of gray smoke filled the vault and made its way down the hall to escape through the shaft. 

 “Lights!” he cried into the walkie-talkie.  “We need lights!  Now!”

August silently prayed that Emma was able to work her magic and change the image feeds again on time.  If everything went according to plan, the security room would now be seeing the live images on their screens.

Archie and Mary Margaret immediately went to the bound guards to remove their fastenings.  The rest of them expertly raised their empty guns and made their way through the smoke.

“A highly explosive incendiary device has been detonated _,_ ” August relayed to Regina.  “Repeat, _has_ been detonated.  We are now searching for survivors.”

They spent the next few minutes poking around the ruined vault, marveling at the destruction from blowing the doors open.  It was a good thing those cash carts were bullet proof and air tight because there was no way Henry could have come away unscathed if he hadn’t taken cover inside of one.

As far as Regina and her men knew, this damage was caused by the same bomb that caused all the smoke now being pumped away from the state of the art ventilation system. 

Speaking of the devil…Regina had just pushed her way past Ruby and Neal and nearly stepped on poor Henry, who was concealed inside the long canvas bag.  

“Who the hell is in charge here?” she demanded.

August rolled his eyes in annoyance and went to her side.  “Ma’am, our search has found no suspects, nor have we determined at this time how they entered or exited the premises.  It’s as though they simply…disappeared.”

If looks could kill, he would be a smoldering pile of ash!  Her nostrils flared as she took in the destruction around her.  “Take your men out.”

“With all due respect, ma’am, I highly suggest you stand outside until the bomb squad has a chance to…”

“NOW!”

“It’s your vault.” He turned to his team and secretly smiled.  She was playing right into their hands.   “Blue Team!  Moving out!”

They each hoisted a heavy bag of money and made their way to the elevator shaft.  Considering that David was by far the strongest in the team, he was surprised to see that it was Neal carrying Henry.  The two had certainly become close over the last several weeks. 

No one spoke as they rode the elevator back up to the main level.  Once it came to a stop, Archie hopped back onto the roof to retrieve his discarded clothing and umbrella.  They ignored the security guard waiting for them and made their way out of the cages.

And just like Neal had told Regina over their phone call, they simply walked out of the casino with her money, all $124 million of it.

 

~8~8~8~

 

They were unusually quiet as they made their way back to headquarters.  The drive seemed to take forever!  Jefferson fretfully checked the mirrors every few seconds, as though he expected the calvary to come charging down Main Street after them.  

Once they finally arrived, he swiftly pulled into the cannery’s loading doors where it would be safely hidden from prying eyes.  August removed his helmet and ran a shaky hand through his damp hair.  “I think we made it,” he whispered to himself. 

The others piled into the back breathed a collective sigh of relief.  Leroy chuckled to himself and slapped Neal on the back appreciatively.  Henry peeked his head outside of the bag, his damp hair sticking up at all ends, causing everyone to laugh raucously. 

It was as though a great heavy weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

They quickly exited the van and began to carry their loads to the escape vehicle outside the cannery.  A beautiful 42 foot sailboat rocked peacefully in the gentle Atlantic waves.  Granny waited impatiently, hugging each of them in turn as they came on board.

“She’s a beauty, Leroy!” commented David as he pulled on one of the ship’s many ropes. 

“This boat is my dream come true,” he replied happily.  “I never would have gotten her without you guys.”

“Excuse me, everyone!  I have something to say!” said Granny as she handed out champagne flutes.  “Please accept some wise advice from an old lady.  Don’t waste this wonderful gift we’ve all just received.  This money will change your lives but don’t let it change you.  You lot are, by far, the best damn group of people I have ever met.  We are now a family.  And the one thing that families never do is forget about each other.”

“Hear, hear!” said David.

Neal raised his glass in a toast.  “To family!”

“To family!” repeated the others.

“Aw!  Thanks for waiting for me guys!” joked Emma as she climbed on board.  Henry ran into her waiting arms and she kissed his head repeatedly.  Neal went to her side and joined the little family in an embrace.

August watched silently from the sidelines and contemplated Granny’s words as the yacht pulled away from the docks.  This money _was_ a second chance, he realized.  A chance to right some wrongs, to do something worthwhile with his life.  This time he wasn’t going to squander it. 

He would get out of the game; lie less, drink less, be more honest.  Maybe he could even settle down.  One night stands were usually as far as it went with him, but after spending so much time surrounded by the budding romances of his partners in crime, he realized that he wanted so much more. 

He finally realized he deserved more!

He smiled as he eyes wandered over the happy couples; Neal and Emma, David and Mary Margaret, Archie and Ruby, Leroy and Astrid…Astrid?

“Astrid?  What are you doing here?” he demanded.

Everyone turned around and seemed to just notice the tall, thin addition to their group.   

Leroy smiled sheepishly and wrapped his arm around his girlfriend’s waist.  “I promised her the maiden voyage.  After we drop you guys off, we’re going to keep going; have some adventures and see the world together!”

“And we’re getting married!” she cried happily.  She held out her left hand for everyone to admire the large diamond solitaire that sat snugly on her finger.

“Wait a second…” August performed another head count and frowned.  “That means we’re missing someone!”

“Where’s Mr. Gold?” asked Mary Margaret suddenly.

“Oh, he’s not done yet,” explained Emma.  She smiled conspiratorially and took a sip of champagne.  “There’s something else he needs to take care of.”

“This has never been about the money for him,” added Neal.  He smiled as he held Emma closer then tenderly kissed her forehead.  “Let’s just say he’s after something far more precious.”

 


	26. Something Precious

Unspeakable rage seared through Regina’s veins as she squeezed the walkie-talkie in her firm grip.  She had been duped; robbed; humiliated.  Someone, or a group of someones, had somehow managed to bypass all of her multi-million dollar security measures and not only get into her fortified vault, but out of it as well, with ALL of her money. 

One hundred and twenty four million dollars; gone.

How did they do it?

How could someone have created an exact duplicate of her vault?  The blueprints and schematics were not available to the public. 

How could someone have hacked into her failsafe systems?  They would have had to infiltrate her top-of-the-line computer mainframe and get past her impregnable firewalls.  It was absolutely impossible.

Her insurance would eventually cover it but it would hurt her, possibly irreparably.  Not only would it become more difficult and expensive to get insurance in the future, but receiving compensation for $124 million would take time.

And time was something she could not afford.

She was extremely wealthy, it was true.  But she had debts; un-ignorable debts!

In order to succeed in the business world she had needed to take risks.  She had palms to grease, kickbacks to pay, people to bribe.

The bribe to get the HBO boxing match had been considerable; more than she could really afford, but at the time it had seemed worth it.  Now, she wasn’t so sure.

Now she would have a new fight on her hands.  She might very well be muscled out of her own business, to be replaced by seedy loan sharks. 

She had needed large events to come to her small seaside town, to her casino, in order to earn the respect she so desperately craved among her peers. 

It seemed no matter what she did, no matter how hard she worked, she would never live up to everyone’s expectations.  Her mother, Cora, was the most critical person on the face of the earth; nothing could ever please her. 

Regina had paid her own way through Yale with her modeling and had graduated third in her class.  Her mother had said it would have been a more impressive feat at Harvard.

She had worked tirelessly to become the top spokesperson for Fairest Inc. and became a household name.  Her mother had shrugged and said her looks wouldn’t last forever.

She had disposed of her idiot step-daughter, had her useless husband, Leo, killed and took control of his multi-million dollar empire.  Cora had rolled her eyes and said that it was _only_ a cosmetics company.

So she had taken a gamble and created the most profitable Casino on the East Coast.  And now she would lose it.  She could only imagine what her mother would say about that!

There had only been one person on the face of this god-forsaken earth who had ever believed in her.  Only one person had ever seen her for what she really was deep down. 

And that person was dead.   All thanks to one man.

“Gaston?” she cried shakily into the walkie-talkie.  “Meet me in the Dark Room.  Now!”

“ _Yes, Regina_ ,” he replied promptly.  “ _I’m on my way_.”

Regina marched out of the ruined vault and into the elevator.  She used her fist to punch the up button repeatedly.  She couldn’t get upstairs fast enough.  The instant the doors slid open she was through and stalking down the empty halls.  Her whimsical painted walls did nothing to alleviate her dark mood. 

She turned down the hall where two of her brawny agents, Tweedledee and Tweedledum (she had never bothered to learn their real names) were standing guard, talking quietly with Gaston.  They were suddenly more alert as their boss appeared before them.  They straightened their posture and fell into step behind her.  Together they marched down the brightly lit hall until finally stopping in front of a heavy door with a frosted glass window. 

She readjusted her dress and diamond, rolled her shoulders and nodded to Gaston.

“Open it,” he ordered.

The door opened widely just as her giant of an enforcer, Tiny, punched Gold hard in the stomach.

Perspiration beaded heavily on his forehead.  His ragged breathing caused his limp hair to bounce around and stick onto his sweaty face.  He coughed and sputtered from the hard blow as he stood bent over, clutching his injured abdomen.

Daniel Gold was usually so impeccably dressed it was almost humorous to see him in such a state. 

His suit jacket was half falling off of his small frame.  A couple of buttons were undone and his dress shirt was no longer tucked in.  A silk tie lay around his neck, unknotted, and he had obviously just spent a considerable amount of time on the floor, because his expensive black slacks were now gray from dust.

The golden cane lay abandoned against the far wall.

“Pick him up,” ordered Gaston maliciously.

Tweedledee and Tweedledum each wrapped a muscular arm under his thin ones and hoisted him up.  She smiled as she watched him favor his good leg, unable to support any weight on the other. 

Tiny had obviously enjoyed his work this evening.  

Gold panted heavily and removed a silk handkerchief from his jacket pocket and wiped his forehead. 

“Hello, dearie,” he said smarmily.  “How’s the other fight going?”

She approached him carefully and dug a manicured fingernail into the soft flesh below his chin, drawing blood.  “Did you have a hand in this?” she asked dangerously.

Gold twitched out of her grip and leaned forward to catch his breath.  “Did I have my hand in what?” he growled.

Regina huffed and rolled her eyes incredulously.  “I’m going to ask you one more time.  Did you have a hand in this?”

Gold limped painfully to the overturned table and leaned on it precariously.  When he finally looked up at her, his eyes were cold and empty.  “Regina, I have no idea what the bloody hell you are talking about.  I’ve been locked up in this little cell here while your goon’s fists have become _intimately_ familiar with my face and other body parts.”  He massaged his jaw and sneered.  “I have half a mind to sue you for this mistreatment.”

“We can verify, ma’am, that this man never left the room,” said Tweedledee.

“We were in the hallway the entire time,” added Tweedledum.  “There’s no way he could have gotten past us.”

Gaston growled low in his throat.  He lowered his head to whisper into Regina’s ear.  “It’s true.  I checked the hall’s security footage myself.  He was in here with Tiny during the…incident.”

Regina looked to Tiny for confirmation.  The large man simply bobbed his shaggy head up and down and looked down to study his shoes.

“Did he have a cell phone on him?” she demanded.  If he was truly behind all this then he would have a way to communicate with his accomplices.

“No, ma’am,” said one of her goons.  He dug into his jacket pocket and withdrew an old, worn leather wallet.  In its prime it would have been expensive, but was now faded and torn.  “We searched him thoroughly when we brought him in here.  All he had was this wallet with an expired Massachusetts’s driver’s license and about twenty dollars in small bills.”

“Twenty-two dollars,” replied Gold harshly.  “And it had best all be there when I get it back!”

Gaston snorted behind her.  “How pathetic!  He’s broke!”

“I don’t buy it,” Regina declared.  No, something smelled fishy here.  “This whole _I’m-a-pitiful-destitute_ charade you’re trying to pull on me.  I don’t believe it.  That suit must have cost you plenty.”

Gold held his head up high and straightened his disheveled clothing.  “I’m surprised at you Regina!  You’re usually very observant when it comes to other people’s attires.  Don’t you recognize this suit?  It’s the same one you saw me wearing when the judge announced my sentence.  You remember the trial, don’t you?  You bribed everyone you could to prolong it so that I would lose everything to lawyer fees.”  He grabbed the threadbare wallet from the agent’s chubby hands and counted the meager bills inside.  “This was all I had left when I got out of prison last month.”

“What about Baelfire?” she asked mockingly.  “You mean to tell me he wasn’t there for his precious _Papa_?”

Gold winced at the mention of his son and hung his head dejectedly.   “I don’t know where he is,” he confessed quietly.  “I was hoping Belle could tell me but he never divulged that information to her.  I’ve lost everything now, dearie.  It seems you finally got your misguided revenge at last.”

A sly grin slowly spread across Regina’s face.  “Well, at least something good has come out of today then.  You’re right, Gaston.  He _is_ too pathetic to have pulled off something this big.  I want this bastard out of my hotel.  Now.”

 

~8~8~8~

 

Belle sat curled around a golden decorative throw pillow on the couch, her precious chipped tea cup cradled protectively in her hands.  She had been waiting impatiently for more than twenty minutes now.

Where was he?  What was happening?  What was going on in the vault?  Was Bae safe?

Her overactive imagination was drowning in possible scenarios; each one more ghastly than the last.  She fleetingly felt a trickle of guilt for her friend Regina.  After all, her family was robbing her best friend blind right now and she wasn’t doing a thing to stop them.

But while she may owe Regina everything, she would never, ever betray her family.

A flicker of light caught her eye and she turned her attention back to the television.  Gone was the persistent blue screen to be replaced by a black and white image of a long hallway. From the quality of the picture and the angle from which it was displayed, she could tell that it was from a security camera.

She immediately recognized the hallway as being one of the many corridors in Regina’s high level cages. 

Someone, no surprise at who, had somehow hacked into the casino’s impenetrable firewalls and was redirecting the feed to her bedroom.  If she wasn’t so worried she would have been mildly impressed.

She dropped to her knees on the carpeted floor and stared at the screen in dismay.  Two big, burly men each had an arm wrapped around her disheveled looking ex-husband and were physically dragging him down the hall.  She could only imagine how that must be paining his leg.

Regina and Gaston were next to emerge from the room, both smirking in satisfaction as they watched Daniel Gold being manhandled so roughly.

“What’s the matter, dearie?” Gold called back over his shoulder.  “Did you get robbed?”

“STOP!” she cried.  She quickly marched to his side, her once pleased expression turning sour.  “You know something.  What is it?”

“Not a thing, dearie.  But I’m flattered that you think so highly of me.  After all, you did just call me pathetic.”

“If you really had nothing to do with any of this then why did you come here?” demanded Gaston. 

“You’re a smart man, Mr. Gold,” Regina said calmly as she smoothed down his wrinkled collar.  Suddenly her fingers were wrapped around his throat, slowly squeezing off his air supply.  “Surely you must have known I would never allow you to leave my property unharmed.  Now tell me.  Why are you here?”

“You know why,” he gasped.  She relieved the pressure from his larynx so that he could speak.  “There is only one force strong enough on this planet that could drag me anywhere near you, dearie.”

“Revenge?”

“No.” Gold shook his head pityingly.  “True Love.  I’ve come for my wife.”

Gaston’s loud bark of laughter echoed across the corridor, sending chills up Belle’s spine.  “No woman is worth getting your ass beaten by Tiny for close to an hour!  Especially not your annoying prude of an ex-wife!”

His hurtful words flew through the TV’s speakers, knocking Belle to the floor as though she had been physically slapped.

“How dare you!” snarled Danny.  The two goons tightened their grips on his arms as he lunged forward.  “What kind of a man stands there and insults the woman he claims to love?  You of all people should be defending her!”

“I don’t give a damn about her,” he gleefully exclaimed.  “I never have!  The only reason I put up with that boring goody-two-shoes is because Regina makes it worth my while.”

Regina smiled wickedly at her old nemesis.  “Don’t you see, Danny?  It wasn’t enough to see you broke.  I need to see you _broken_!  If I couldn’t be with my True Love than neither could you!  I have poisoned her against you, against herself!  She is no longer the woman you hopelessly fell in love with.  She’s gone forever, thanks to me.  And you no longer have anything to offer her.  Try getting her to take you back now.”

“You heartless bitch!” spat Gold.  “What did you do to her?”

“I made her forget who she was,” announced Regina proudly.  “I broke her and rebuilt her to suit my needs.  I destroyed any evidence of her loved ones trying to get in contact with her.  I made it look as though even your bastard son had abandoned her!  I had her spirit squashed so that I could be the one to pick her back up.  For the first time in my life, I got to play the hero instead of the villain.  I have her wrapped so tightly around my finger that she’s too afraid to let go of me.  Because she knows without me holding her up she is nothing!”

“I’m afraid you’ve underestimated my Belle,” said Danny.  “She may be bent, but she’s not broken.  She will see through one day.  Maybe sooner than you think.”

“We shall see.”  Regina took a walkie-talkie from Gaston’s hand and raised it to her mouth.  “Sydney?  Contact the police.  Please inform them we have an ex-con trespassing on the property.  I’m sure he is in violation of his parole.”

Daniel Gold simply smirked and made no effort to fight as they continued to drag him away.  However, right before they disappeared off the screen, he looked straight up into the camera and nodded.

Danny had set all this up, put himself in jeopardy, allowed himself to be physically assaulted, just to show her the truth!

Regina wasn’t her friend; had _never_ been her friend.  She was merely a pawn in a never ending game of chess.

For the first time in years, she felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders.  She felt taller, stronger. 

She was through with being Regina’s punching bag.  She was through with Regina period! 

Belle quickly went to her closet and grabbed a comfortable pair of flats and her long beige jacket.  After carefully placing her chipped cup into her purse, she took one last look around the room she had called home for the last year and quietly slipped out.

The elevator ride to the lobby seemed to take an eternity as she watched the number of floors click down to nothing.  When the bell finally chimed she wasted no time in bolting through the sliding doors.

Only to collide directly into Regina.

“Belle!”  Regina’s frown quickly steeled itself into a grin that did not reach her eyes.  “I’m so glad to see you!  I’m sorry if I snapped at you earlier.  I was under a lot of stress.  Why don’t we go get a drink and I can tell you all about the dreadful robbery now?  Did you hear they set off a bomb?”

Belle rolled her shoulders back, raised her head high and simply walked past her former friend.  She wasn’t worthy of a response.

“Belle?” asked Regina, sounding confused.  “Belle!  I’m talking to you!”

She stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around to face her warden of the last couple of years.  “You of all people should know, Regina.  In your Casino?  There is _always_ someone watching.”

And without another word, she marched through the hotel’s doors and out into the cool Atlantic breeze.  The air held the distinctive flavor of fresh summer rain and freedom.

It was glorious!

 

~8~8~8~

 

Daniel Gold winced painfully as the two goons dragged him down the hall and out the side door to await the police; the _real_ police, unfortunately. 

He briefly wondered how long it would take Regina to realize that there was no S.W.A.T. team in a town as small as Storybrooke.  Probably not until her insurance company informed her that there had been no actual police investigation into the robbery. 

Oh, how he would love to be there when she got the news!

But unfortunately, he would be back behind bars by then.  Ah, well.  It was a necessary evil. 

And absolutely worth it if Belle had watched the security footage. 

He knew he had irrevocably damaged their relationship and couldn’t blame her if she wanted nothing to do with him ever again, but at least she would be free to make that decision for herself now. 

He didn’t care what happened to him; she was all that mattered.  She deserved so much better than what she had been dealt in this life, all because of her association with him. 

She was free now.  Free to be whoever she wanted to be; to finally decide her own fate. 

Bae would see to it that she was taken care of financially.  She could start a new life for herself, as far away from Storybrooke as ten million dollars would take her.

His hopeful thoughts were interrupted by the sudden arrival of a police cruiser pulling up to the curb.  Regina’s minions finally released their death grips on his arms and he rubbed at the painful bruises they left behind.  He decided to take advantage of his new limited freedom by tucking in his dress shirt and readjusting his suit jacket.  His tie was long gone, as was his favorite cane.

His bad leg had slowed him down in the vents more than he had thought possible tonight, barely making it back to the Dark Room in time.  Fortunately, Regina’s heels were a loud enough warning to hear coming down the hall.  Unfortunately, he had only managed to get one arm into his jacket sleeve when Tiny was forced to punch him in the stomach.

Luckily for him though, the friendly giant had softened the blow somewhat so that he wouldn’t be pissing too much blood tonight. 

“What seems to be the trouble gentlemen?” asked the greasy haired Sheriff as he emerged from his car. 

“This man is in violation of his parole,” responded one of the goons.  “Drinking, gambling, trespassing…”

“All right.  We’ll take it from here,” said the deputy. 

Tweedledee and Tweedeldum returned inside as the sheriff removed a pair of handcuffs from his belt and proceeded to lock Gold’s wrists behind his back.  “We need to take you down to the station, sir.  I suggest you call your parole officer when we get there.”

“WAIT!” cried a voice in the distance.

The sheriff place his hand on Gold’s head and pressed down, encouraging him to get into the back of the car.

“Please wait!” shouted the voice again. 

Could it be?

“Just a second, Sheriff,” said the deputy.  “Someone’s coming.”

Gold stretched his neck to see above the officer’s shoulder.  A shadowy figure was waving an arm erratically in an attempt to catch their attention.  The lights from a passing car shone brightly across the Casino’s windowless walls and reflected off of a sparkly gold dress.

“Wait!  That’s my husband!” Belle called out.  “That’s my husband!”

A smile of disbelief cracked Mr. Gold’s usually stoic features as a mop of chestnut curls swept over his face.  Her arms lovingly wrapped around his neck while his were still uselessly bound behind him.  He ached to hold her, to feel the warmth of her body that he had been missing for the last couple of years.

He lowered his neck to lean his forehead against hers but she had other plans.  She pressed her trembling lips against his while running her hands through his windswept hair.  His cheeks suddenly became moist, from her tears, his, or a combination of both, he didn’t know which. 

He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t believe.  His mind was numb from being so close to her after years apart. 

Belle, _his_ Belle, had returned to him.

“Danny,” she whispered.

“Belle,” he replied, between kisses.  “I told you.  I knew what I was doing.”

“I didn’t,” she said miserably.  “I’m so sorry for ever doubting you.  I can’t believe that you did all this…just for me.”

“Oh, sweetheart.  I needed for you to see the truth with your own eyes.  That was the only way you could truly be free.”

Someone loudly cleared their throat to Gold’s left, interrupting their little reunion.  “Time to go, buddy.  Say goodbye to your lady friend.”

“Excuse me, but I’m his _wife_!” Belle exclaimed, tightening her grip around Gold’s waist.  She turned back to her husband and asked softly, “How long will you be?”

“For a parole violation?  About three months, love.”

“Three months it is then,” she said, smiling through the tears. 

The sheriff pushed his head into the vehicle and Gold was forced to take his seat.  “Bae will be in touch, sweetheart,” he called through the glass window.  “You’re not alone anymore.”

The cruiser slowly pulled away from the curb and away from Belle.  He kept his forehead pressed up against the cold glass until she disappeared from view, waving goodbye.

He sat back in his chair and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. 

He had done it.   

No, he corrected himself.  _They_ had done it.


	27. Epilogue

**3 Months Later**

The cool December air was fresh and crisp with a sharp bite to it that sent multiple shivers through Mr. Gold’s thin frame.   He didn’t mind the cold though; in fact, he relished the sensation of the icy wind that swirled against his bare head and into his eager lungs. 

It held the distinctive taste of snow and freedom.

Nodding to the young guard at the gate, he quickly limped out of Massachusetts’s largest medium security prison for the second time that year.

After just a few steps, he was forced to tug the overly large donated coat around his disheveled suit a bit more tightly to ward off the chill.  He was almost as eager to rid himself of his current wardrobe as he was to be out of his horrid prison jumpsuit. 

Orange was definitely not a flattering color.

This was without a doubt the final time he would ever wear this particular suit.  The black slacks still held traces of dust from his little sojourn through the casino’s ventilation system and his Armani shirt was now missing two buttons.  While he had not worn a tie in almost three months, he felt practically naked at the moment without one.

The trek through the chain link alley was long and tedious thanks to the unfamiliar plastic cane that was donated to him along with the frayed coat.  They would both be headed to the bin as soon as he got to his tailor’s.

His light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel came in the form of his son, leaning casually against the fencing, eating from a bag of potato chips.  Neal quickly disposed of his snack when he spotted his father approach and wiped his greasy fingers on the outside of his very fine wool coat.  As Gold got closer, he noted the expensive three piece suit he wore underneath.

“Has someone died, Bae?” he asked half-seriously.  “I do believe this is the first time you have ever out-dressed me!”

“That’s not too hard to do considering the state you’re in, Papa.”  Neal smiled impishly and held up his hands.  “Let’s call it a special occasion.  To celebrate the last time I will _ever_ have to pick my father up from prison.”

“One can only hope, son,” he said as he gave his beloved son a warm hug.

“Grandpa!” cried Henry.  The young boy quickly ran across the parking lot and wrapped his short arms around his grandfather’s waist. 

“Hello, my dear boy,” said Gold as he returned the ten year old’s embrace.  “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you call me that.”

“Henry!” shouted Emma crossly behind him.  She made her way through the crowd of cars parked between them and arrived breathlessly by Neal’s side.  “You were supposed to wait in the car.  Give your dad a chance to catch up with Grandpa, okay?”

“That’s quite all right, Miss Swan.”  He held out his right hand and smiled warmly when she reciprocated the gesture.  “I suppose I have you to thank for my son finally learning how to dress appropriately.  How are you, dear?”

Emma placed her free hand over her belly.  “Pregnant again.”

“Ah!  That is fantastic news.  Congratulations!”  Gold’s heart swelled with pride and happiness as he took in the growing family.  “So will the wedding be _before_ or _after_ the baby comes.”

Neal groaned loudly and Emma rolled her eyes.  “We’re in no rush.”

“Besides, we don’t want to compete with David and Mary Margaret.  They’re getting married in Hawaii on New Year’s Eve.  We’re all invited, by the way.”

“Even Leroy!” added Henry excitedly.  “He and Astrid are in New Zealand right now.  They’re taking their ship around the world.”

“So I’ve heard.  They sent me a postcard from Hong Kong a few weeks back when they eloped.”

“Archie and Ruby have teamed up too, in more ways than one,” said Emma.  “They’re working across the US in tandem now; Ruby stalks their prey and Archie makes the lift.  They’re making quite the name for themselves.  It’s kind of sweet…in a non-violent Bonnie and Clyde kind of way.”

“In some ways they remind me of Emma and I in our younger years,” added Neal.  He wrapped his arm around Emma and raised his eyebrows conspiratorially at his son.  “And speaking of young romances… Henry has his first girlfriend.”

“DAD!” moaned Henry.

“Once Jefferson’s house arrest was ‘officially’ over, he decided to use some of his share to take Grace around the world.  We met up with them at Disneyworld.  He and Grace have been texting each other every night ever since.  He’s even planning on bringing her a gift when we go to Hawaii.”

“Grace is a lovely girl, Henry.  She has a fondness for toy rabbits if that helps.”  They began to walk through the lot, slower than he would have preferred thanks to his disability, but he was enjoying hearing how everyone had been faring since the heist.  “So was this a family trip?  Did Granny attend as well?”

He caught a quick glance between Emma and Neal as they tried to contain their grins.

“Believe it or not, Granny has a new beau in New York,” said his son.

“She’s been married twelve times.  That doesn’t surprise me one bit.”

“Yeah, well, this might: he’s broke.  She moved out of that horrible retirement complex in Florida and got herself a loft in Manhattan.  She’s currently dating her Italian handyman.  It’s looking like husband number thirteen might actually be for love.”

“You’re right.  I don’t believe it.  And what about Mr. Booth?  Has he managed to find love as well while I’ve been detained?”

“Nah.  August found inspiration.  He’s been working on his new novel; one of those outrageous heist stories with lots of twists and surprises.  There’s already been some interest with a small publisher.”

“It’s about time that boy grew up and started acting like a man.”

The wind picked up with an unexpected ferocity that pushed the family back a few steps.  Neal removed his long scarf and wrapped it several times around Henry’s neck, protecting his son from the cold Massachusetts’s air.  Gold was suddenly quite eager to reach the comfort of a warm vehicle. 

“Which car is yours, son?” Gold asked.  He looked around the crowded lot and saw a couple of high end vehicles that were likely possibilities.

Neal pointed over to the next row.  “The blue one.”

Very little ever caught Danny Gold by surprise but this was one of the few exceptions.  He turned around to stare at his son suspiciously.  “Ten million dollars and you’re driving a _mini-van_?”

“What can I say?  I blew it all on the suit,” he replied teasingly.

“It’s just a rental.  We needed the extra space,” added Emma.

Neal winked as he placed his arm around his father’s shoulders and pointed back towards their ride.  “Yeah, I picked up your personal effects for you.  Hope you don’t mind.”

His breath caught in this throat as time seemed to stop all around him.  Moisture threatened to spill from his eyes and he inhaled deeply to control his voice.  He awkwardly cleared his throat and shot his son a quick grin.  “I don’t think these belong to me.”

Belle had emerged from the van and was now leaning casually against the door, wearing a long navy coat over a knee length dress.  She removed her sunglasses and beamed brilliantly at his approach.  He barely registered the fact that Neal, Emma and Henry had suddenly become fascinated with a couple of pigeons in the opposite direction.

There were a million things he wanted to say to her but every word was lost on his tongue as he gazed upon her.  This was no dream.  She was real and she was standing right in front of him. 

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey,” he replied.

She bit her lower lip shyly and ran her hand through his straggly hair.  He leaned into the contact and simply enjoyed the feeling of her skin against his.  She was so warm despite the cold breeze.

“I, uh, got you a gift,” she said cryptically.  “You know, to celebrate your release.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” he whispered as he tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

“I know.”  She dipped her head back inside the vehicle and removed a wide, thin package.  It was decorated in gold paper with a large bow in the corner.  “But I wanted to.”

“Hmm.  It’s too thin to be a book,” he teased.  He quickly tore away the shiny paper to reveal the front page of a newspaper, enclosed in an expensive glass and mahogany frame.  An unflattering picture of Regina Mills took up most of the page with an amusing caption that read ‘$124M Magically Disappears!’

“The insurance company paid up so she didn’t lose the Casino, but she had to make several changes to keep it afloat in the meantime.  I’m afraid the museum didn’t make it; budget cuts and so forth.”

Gold smiled sadly and entwined his fingers with hers.  “I really am sorry, dearie.  Despite everything, I know how much you loved your job.”

“Well, I’m far from destitute,” she said, winking mischievously.  “I’ve managed feed and clothe myself somehow.”

His eyes wandered down her curvy frame and admired the expensive clothes that covered it.  “I can honestly say that you look like ten million bucks, dear.”

She caressed his chest and brought her hands around his neck.  “Nine million actually.  I’m afraid I’ve already spent some on a down payment for a lovely little shop in Manhattan.  I’ve decided to give Golden Antiques another try.  Perhaps a new location is all I need.  I’m, uh, looking for a manager if you happen to know of anyone qualified.”

“Manhattan, you say?” He lowered his head so that their lips were but millimeters apart.  “Why that particular city?”

“It seems like everyone I know is relocating there,” she whispered.  “And I want to be as close to our _grandchildren_ as possible.”

His lips tentatively connected with hers, seeking permission.  She grasped his head tightly against hers as she deepened the kiss, no longer wanting to deny themselves anymore.  It was pure bliss to be back in the arms of the woman he loved and knowing that they would never have to be apart again.  Nothing could possibly ruin their moment.

“Grandpa!” called Henry.  “I’m freezing over here!  Can’t you kiss her in the van?”

Belle snorted and rested her head against his chest, laughing uproariously as he ran his hands over her back.  His kissed the top of her head and turned to his family.  “All right, lad.  Hop in.  I can’t let you freeze to death or they might put me right back in my cell.”

They quickly piled into the vehicle, Belle and Gold claiming the back seat while Henry took up the center row.  “I’m hungry,” he said to no one in particular.  “Where do you want to eat, Grandpa?”

“Hmmm.  I _was_ planning on asking you out to a fancy, romantic dinner tonight,” said Belle.  She took in his old coat and disheveled suit appraisingly and shook her head.  “But first we need to get you to a tailor!”

“Tell you what,” said Gold.  “Forget the fancy dinner for now.  I have $22 in my wallet.  I believe that’s enough for a couple of hamburgers and ice tea.  How about it, Ms. Gold?”

She smiled brightly and snuggled up against his side.  “Sounds wonderful, Mr. Gold.”

He picked up her left hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles.  He looked down and frowned in confusion at the sight of a simple gold band that sat snuggly on her ring finger.  “You said you sold this.”

She blushed a charming shade of pink that made her look all the more beautiful.  “I did say that, didn’t I?”

“Liar,” he whispered.

“Thief,” she replied.

He brought his lips to hers once again and kissed her to his heart’s content. 

He had gotten back everything that had been taken from him and all was finally right with the world.


End file.
